■■>^>>'. 



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JOHN MclNTOSH KELL 



RECOLLECTIONS 



NAVAL LIFE 



INCLUDING THE 



CRUISES OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES STEAMERS 
"SUMTER" AND "ALABAMA" 



JOHN MCINTOSH KELL 

Executive Officer of "Sumter" and "Alabama' 



NON IN SOLO 




PANE VIVIT HOMO 



WASHINGTON 
THE NEALE COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 
431 Eleventh Street 
1900 



li.>0»»»r/ of Contftmm 

OCT 22 v.m 

Copynghl eotrv 

S£C('Nl^ COPY. 
OftDtH DIVISION, 

hOV 17 ibvJ 






Copyright, iqoo, by 

THE NEALE COMPANY 

Washington, D. C. 



Dedication 



TO BLANCHE, MY WIFE 



Now fe7v are the good things life can hold,- 
And the one I prize all others above 

Is neither fame, nor a wealth of gold. 
But the trust and jey of a perfect love" 



Preface 

It would scarcely seem ait fait that a book should make 
its appearance (no matter how unpretentious it may be) 
before a criticising and oftentimes censorious pubHc with- 
out a preface. Yet I have usually found prefaces either 
explanatory, apologetic, or regretful. The book will be 
its own explanation, I have no apologies to make; but my 
regrets are many and great. Ten years ago I made up 
my mind and began to write this book for the pleasure of 
my family and friends. In my busy life weeks would often 
pass without my writing a word. Having a natural aver- 
sion to the pen was often an excuse for my neglect, and 
the fact was ever before me that a most delightful and per- 
fect book in Admiral Semmes' "Service Afloat" had been 
given to the world, from which mine could not differ in 
facts, data, or detail, and could never approach in beauty 
of diction or language. My life has been one of deeds, not 
words, and what I have done in the strictest sense of duty 
and high integrity of purpose shall never be apologized for. 
To me there has never been a "New South." The blood 
of heroic sires and gentle mothers in the veins of the pres- 
ent generation have made her what she is — a remodeled 
country, built upon the grandeur of the past and the holiest 
memories a people ever inherited ! The Will of God could 
not be stayed or averted. Might prevailed; but behind 
the frowning Providence of disaster and defeat for His own 
wise plans and purposes, God has at last smiled upon the 
South, and she has many compensations from His hand. 
My regrets are that many who were with us when I began 
to write will never con these simple pages, for many, in- 
deed most, of the friends of my youth have passed before 
me "on that road from which no traveler e'er returns." 



6 PREFACE 

To their children and my own posterity I leave in these 
pages the truth of history and hope they will not l)e with- 
out interest to the young. To my brothers, the "United 
Confederate Veterans," 1 give the narrative of our times, 
the "times that tried men's souls," that left us nought save 
honor, a love of country, the sacred memory of valiant 
lives and deeds, and a hope in God ! 

Jno. McIntosh Kell. 

SuHiiyside, Georgia, May 3, i8g8. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 



PART I 
Chapter I 



I BELIEVE it was Job who so pathetically exclaimed, "O, 
that mine adversary had written a book!" (which wish I 
could never explain satisfactorily to myself). Not being- 
solicited by my enemies, but by my family and friends, for 
their pleasure, hoping it will give pleasure to others also, 
I venture to record some of the incidents of travel in my 
long and eventful life. If I may be forgiven the egotism 
(as I am an "author quite unknown to fame"), I will here 
introduce myself as an American of Southern birth, a 
Georgian, proud of my native State. I was named for my 
maternal great uncle. General John Mcintosh, famous for 
deeds of heroism in the war with the Spaniards in the early 
history of Georgia. 

When I was four years old my father died, leaving to my 
mother's care live little children. My childhood was spent 
upon our plantation, "Laurel Grove," Mcintosh County, 
often varied by visits to Sapelo Island, the residence of 
my mother's first cousin, Hon. Thomas Spalding, whose 
son Randolph, a few months my senior, grew up with me 
in the intimacy of brothers. Our grandmothers were sis- 
ters, Marjory and Hester Mcintosh. Marjory married 
James Spalding and Hester (my grandmother) married 
Alexander Baillie, and died leaving an infant, my mother, 
who was reared by her aunt, Mrs. Marjory Spalding, for 
whom she was named. 



8 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

My boyhood was passed as the Southern boy of that 
day, in the healthful, manly sports of hunting, riding, boat- 
ing, and fishing, varied by school attendance in Darien, 
the county seat of Mcintosh County, which was settled 
by my ancestors, Clan Mcintosh, and first named "New 
Inverness," for their distant home in Scotland. My first 
teacher was Mr. Bradwell, who was famous in the seaboard 
counties as a teacher of great merit and ability. Shortly 
after, Dr. James Troup, the friend and physician of our 
family, was elected to the Legislature, and going up in his 
carriage to Milledgeville (for it was before the days of 
railroad travel), stopped at "Perry Mills" during the ex- 
amination of a school kept by one Musgrove, a Scotchman. 
Being pleased with his mode of teaching, especially mathe- 
matics and English grammar, on his return to Darien Dr. 
Troup persuaded my mother to allow him to take me with 
his son and daughter and place us there at school. This 
school, however, was of short duration. The poor old 
Scotchman got on a big "spree," and remaining so for 
some time, we were sent home. My next teacher was Mr. 
Pincheon, who conducted a large and prosperous school 
in Darien till he was called to take charge of the Chatham 
Academy, in Savannah. To this school I was sent in com- 
pany with my cousin, Henry K. Rees, now Episcopal 
Evangelist of the State of Georgia, an earnest worker in 
his Master's vineyard, honored and beloved in his profes- 
sion. From this school I returned home and remained a 
year. 

In my sixteenth year I was sent to Savannah into the 
counting house of Andrew Low & Co., with a view of 
entering mercantile life. I cannot say that it was to my 
taste, and after the winter's work I went home for a visit. 
I found the U. S. Brig Consort on a survey of our coast. 
This vessel was under the command of Captain Glynn, 
soon succeeded by Captain Ramsey; and here there came 
a change over the spirit of my boyish dreams at this im- 
pressionable age, and I resolved to serve my country as a 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 9 

naval officer. My frequent visits to the ship and the visits 
of the officers to my home (my sisters being young ladies 
in society at the time), and the notice the officers took of 
me as a lad, was no doubt very suggestive of the profes- 
sion; but I think being born almost within sound of the 
billows and in sight of the "deep blue sea," I had an innate 
love for it which grew with my g-rowth and strengthened 
with my strength, and which will remain with me while 
life lasts. 

At my earnest entreaty my mother (though it must have 
cost her widowed heart many a pang) applied through our 
imniediate Representative, Hon. Thos. Butler King, who 
obtained for me an appointment as midshipman in the 
United States Navy, dating from September 9, 1841. 

His letter, which I found among her papers, reads : — 

House of Representatives, Washington. 

September 11, 1841. 
My Dear Madam : After many and repeated efforts I have at length 
obtained a midshipman's warrant for your son. He now belongs to his 
country. That he will bear himself gallantly and honorably in the ser- 
vice to which he belongs I do not doubt. That he may attain its highest 
and brightest honors is the sincere wish of your faithful friend 
And.obt. servant, 

Tho. Butler King. 
To Mrs. Kell, 
Darien, Ga. 

My first orders were to join the Sloop of War Falmouth, 
then fitting out at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and under the 
command of my relative, Captain James McKay Mcintosh. 
In obedience to orders I took passage on a sailing vessel 
for New York from Savannah. Upon the voyage we ex- 
perienced some rough weather; but having once taken a 
trip in a brig from Darien to Georgetown, South Carolina, 
with the family of Mr. John Green, a rice planter of our 
county (which gave me my first experience of sea life), I 
felt quite at home on the voyage to New York and did not 
suffer from seasickness. 



10 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Upon my arrival in New York I found a letter from 
Captain Mcintosh, telling me to take passage in a bay- 
steamer for Bridgeport, Conn., where he was residing with 
his family. I did as he directed, and arriving at Bridge- 
port about the hour of noon, proceeded to the hotel. My 
first introduction to Northern manners and customs took 
place here. I noticed very closely everything that took 
place, and was much surprised to find young white servant 
girls attending at the table. The dinner was a revelation 
to me. Down the center of the table was a row of 
pumpkin pies. After getting fairly under way with the 
meats and vegetables, I noticed the girls handing around 
in pitchers a foaming beverage, which I innocently mis- 
took for champagne, and prepared my palate for a luscious 
quaff. Holding my tumbler on high to be filled, I soon 
took a full mouthful, but quietly set it down again, and 
gazed around me to see the effect on other people. They 
seemed to enjoy it, but it was my first taste of hard cider, 
and I was thoroughly disgusted and disappointed. Not 
so with the pumpkin pie, however; I enjoyed that with the 
zest of a hungry boy of sixteen. After dinner I sought the 
residence of my cousin. Captain Mcintosh, and made the 
acquaintance of his beautiful young wife and two pretty 
little children. Among the features of the little town was 
pointed out to me the home of P. T. Barnum, one of its 
residents. One evening while there we were invited to tea. 
I noticed the absence of all Southern breads, such as waf- 
fles, muffins, wafers, etc., and that all the breads were 
sweet, commencing with doughnuts, which I liked on first 
acquaintance. In two or three days the captain and I 
went to New York, and then began my life on board a 
''man of war." 

The Falmouth was a first-class sloop of war of that date. 
I at once fitted myself out in the jaunty midshipman uni- 
form, further providing myself with bedding and all the 
necessary articles, and took up my quarters with my mess- 
mates, to "be rocked in the cradle of the deep." Every- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 11 

thing was pressed forward getting ready, as we were 
shortly to set sail for what was then known as the "Gulf 
Squadron," and to take with us as passenger the newly- 
appointed minister to Quito, Mr. Black. My letters, at 
this time full of boyish enthusiasm, were preserved among 
my mother's treasures, and are a great source of amuse- 
ment to my children now. After landing our minister we 
had a pleasant and interesting cruise through the Wind- 
ward Islands, touching at Santa Cruz, St. Thomas, Mar- 
tinique, and finally shaping our course for Pensacola, the 
rendezvous of the Gulf Squadron. 

On arriving at Pensacola we entered upon a round of 
gaiety. I saw for the first time here the celebrated Mad- 
ame Le Vert, who was in the zenith of her fame and popu- 
larity. I have seen many more beautiful women, but 
never saw one more full of grace and vivacity or more 
charming as a conversationalist. After remaining in port 
a month or more we sailed for Vera Cruz, coming to 
anchor under the island of Sacrificios, this being the only 
safe anchorage from the violent northers that blow across 
the Gulf of Mexico, and distant some miles from the city. 
The city of Vera Cruz presented a true picture of Spanish 
architecture, the houses being built of adobe or unburnt 
brick, plastered and whitewashed, with tile roofing. 

The city was not attractive, and the fort opposite pre- 
sented a very formidable appearance — built of coral from 
the reef upon which it stood. Old Vera Cruz, fifteen miles 
northwest of the present city, is said to be the spot where 
Cortez disembarked in 1518. Our first precaution after 
anchoring was to moor ship securely, with our two bowers 
and sheet anchors so planted as to resist these violent 
northers, also sending down our lower yards and housing 
topmasts. In a few days we had reason to congratulate 
ourselves upon being so well prepared, for we experienced 
one of those storms in all its fury, making it dangerous 
for a man to hold his head even above the rail of the ship. 
We were quite ready and relieved after this severe experi- 



12 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

ence to receive the order to "get ready for sea." In those 
days (it being before the day of steamers) men-of-war were 
allowed to carry silver from one country to another as an 
accommodation to merchants, at the same time allowing 
a percentage for this service to the captain doing such 
favor. Our captain had taken on board a quantity of silver 
bars to be carried to parties in the city of New Orleans. 
After a pleasant passage we arrived and anchored ofif the 
mouth of the Belize, our ship drawing too much water to 
cross the bar, A little steam tug came alongside, to which 
the silver was transferred, and I, with other officers, was 
detailed to take charge of the silver and deliver it to the 
houses to which it was consigned. My first impression of 
New Orleans was remarkable in this particular. We 
landed in the French part of the city, where French was 
the prevailing tongue, while across the street dividing the 
American and Creole or French population English was 
used entirely. After attending to our mission and enjoy- 
ing a day in the city we returned on board ship and shortly 
after set sail for Pensacola. 



Chapter II 

Pensacola in those days was the paradise of midship- 
men. They, with their seniors, the lieutenants, gave them- 
selves up to the gaieties of this seaport town. It was always 
noted for the pretty girls that had their homes there, and 
of course they were always "belles" when the Gulf Squad- 
ron was at its rendezvous. Like the Norfolk girls, they 
were very full of "sea knowledge." My friend, John N. 
Mafifitt, in a charming little story of his, makes an old 
veteran ofificer say to a middy : "Mr. Forbes, a leopard can- 
not change its spots, neither can a Norfolk girl be other- 
wise than beautiful and d — d dangerous. At school their 
first class reader is 'Dorsey Lever.' Every Sunday they 
study the 'Navy Register,' and when standing on the 
'Bridge of Sighs' with 'spooney' midshipmen by their sides 
they become instructors of astronomy, nautical romance 
and the abstruse science of knotting and splicing." Well, 
her Pensacola sisters can equal the Norfolk girl, and "sigh- 
ing sailors, beautiful senoritas, scowling rivals and love-sick 
middies" filled the tropical air of that old town in my 
young days, and "music, moonlight, love, and flowers" 
were the living inspiration ! 

After refitting we proceeded on our way northward, 
stopping at Savannah, Georgia, the seaport town of the 
captain's native State, where he was received with great 
cordiality, and our ship visited by many of its inhabitants. 
The captain took advantage of the occasion to visit his old 
home near Darien, Georgia, and to my great delight I 
accompanied him, and visited my home and family after 
many months of absence. We were quite the observed of 
all in our bright uniforms, and I felt the great importance 
of my position as an officer of the Government, though 



14 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

only a miclshipman ! We enjoyed our week's visit to the 
fullest extent, and took stage coach for the city of Savan- 
nah, passing through the Counties of Mcintosh, Liberty, 
etc. Experiencing some runaway tilts in the coach and 
four, we capped the climax late in the evening by the 
driver going to sleep and upsetting the stage in a marsh 
while driving over a causeway. Fortunately for me, I 
had the seat with the driver, and soon extricated myself 
by jumping clear of the wreck. Not so, however, with the 
inside passengers; they had to climb through the upper 
windows of the coach. The rotundity of the captain made 
this rather a hard job for him and he lost no time in ad- 
dressing the driver in sailor parlance, not very complimen- 
tary. After all were rescued alive and unhurt and the 
driver had meekly borne his share of abuse for his careless- 
ness, we prepared to start again. 

Righting up the coach, and being re-seated, we passed 
the remainder of the journey in laughing and joking over 
the ridiculous plight to which we had been reduced, the 
captain declaring he "ran no such risks at sea, where he 
was much more safe than on terra firma." Upon arriving 
in Savannah we joined our ship and set sail for New York. 
At the Brooklyn Navy Yard we found the Frigate Savan- 
nah fitting out for her first cruise, and bearing the broad 
pennant of the commodore of the Pacific Squadron, I 
applied for orders to this vessel, which I received, and re- 
ported for duty on board — Captain Andrew Fitzhugh, 
commanding — October 20, 1843. 

As soon as the Frigate Savannah was ready for sea we 
set sail for Rio Janeiro on our way to the Pacific. After 
a remarkably pleasant voyage we anchored ofT Rio on the 
1 8th of December. The geographies truly say that the 
peerless bay of Rio, upon which the city is situated, is 
scarcely rivaled in beauty by the far-famed Bay of Naples. 
On nearing the coast the first object that presents itself to 
the mariner is "Sugar Loaf Mountain." This mountain is 
about nine hundred feet above the sea. There are many 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 15 

Other mountains, among them the "Organ," so called from 
the resemblance it bears to the pipes of a huge organ; also 
"Table Mountain," whose summit is flat. I believe it is this 
mountain that is called by the Portuguese "Square Top- 
sail," as it quite resembles that article of rigging to a prac- 
ticed eye. Of course the climate of Brazil is warm, and 
subject to the dread usurper of such climates, yellow fever; 
but it is very much tempered by the breezes that come 
from the sea. The city of Rio has a great deal in it to 
enjoy. We midshipmen went on shore at the first oppor- 
tunity, and being somewhat tired of ship fare found our 
way to a restaurant and ordered a supper. When the bill 
was presented it was up in the millions in their currency 
(with which we were not then familiar) and was truly 
startling. We became very much alarmed and thought 
we were a lot of "busted individuals," but managed upon 
a financial explanation to settle the bill. Previous to this 
supper we had "taken in" the town, visiting, among other 
places, the beautiful Cathedral. Upon entering this build- 
ing we handed a very officious and self-important guide 
some small change to show us around. After showing us 
through the Cathedral proper he invited us into a feast- 
room, where he told us the priests the night before had 
held a banquet. Judging from the empty ale bottles it 
must have been quite a banquet! He kindly offered us 
some of the ale (of which we partook), this being my first 
and last experience of ale drinking in a church. 

After taking in water and provisioning ship, we contin- 
ued our voyage around the Horn, encountering rough 
weather, heavy gales, boisterous seas, and a very low 
degree of temperature, being nearly frozen for three weeks 
off the pitch of the Cape. The violence of the gales forced 
us down to latitude 62 degrees south. After rounding the 
Cape we shaped our course northward in the broad Pacific, 
and welcomed the more temperate clime of the lower lati- 
tudes. 



16 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

On the 17th of February, 1844, we came to anchor in 
the Bay of Callao, the seaport of Lima, the ancient Capital 
of Peru. The Bay of Callao is formed from a peninsula 
on which formerly stood the old city of Callao, submerged 
more than a hundred years ago by a terrible earthquake, 
the chimneys still showing above ground. An English 
company were proposing at that time to excavate for the 
buried treasure of that once wealthy city. It is related 
that during this terrific earthquake a Spanish frigate was 
carried by the incoming sea several miles in the interior 
and left there by the receding waters. 

The island of San Lorenzo forms the western barrier or 
sea front to the bay, thus forming a very snug anchorage. 
Callao was built after the style of old Spanish towns — sub- 
ject to earthquakes — of adobe, with one story only, and 
tile roofing. Lima, about six miles from Callao, is famous 
for its old cathedrals of great wealth and magnificence, 
dating back to the days of Pizarro. In one of these we 
were shown by the priest a body embalmed and claimed to 
be that of Pizarro himself. A beautiful stream passes 
through the city, and along its banks are shaded walks, 
where the Spanish maidens and duennas are seen in their 
peculiar dress, with a mantilla over the head having an 
opening for but one eye. This eye, often of brilliant ap- 
pearance, united to a graceful, queenly carriage and walk, 
leaves great scope for imagined beauty. Across the stream 
is a famous amphitheatre, where the renowned bullfights 
took place at that time, a great attraction for the city and 
country around — doubloons and bouquets being eagerly 
thrown to the successful matadors. It was of course our 
privilege to witness one of these scenes of wild excitement 
and great brutality. Often fine steeds were gored and the 
matador himself fatally injured, and finally the poor bull 
would succumb to the torture no longer endurable. Then 
would be brought in a truck pulled by four magnificent 
horses richly caparisoned, the carcass thrown upon it, and 
amidst the shouts of the multitude carried out, when 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 17 

another animal would be brought in to go through the 
same ordeal. Lima was famous for her bullfights, the 
cruel sport of a semi-barbarous age and time. 

At Callao I was transferred to the Schooner Shark, 
under the command of Lieutenant Neil M. Howison. 
Mr. Howison came out as flag lieutenant with Commodore 
Dallas, ordered to command the Pacific Squadron. The 
commodore's flag was hoisted on the Frigate Savannah, 
but he did not live to take a cruise. He was taken sick and 
died on shore at Callao. The Schooner Shark was given 
to his flag lieutenant as a select command, and it was a 
privilege to serve on board. I, being only a midshipman, 
was placed in charge of a watch. My first experience was 
an amusing one. The Shark was ordered to take some of 
our ofificers leaving the squadron to Panama on their way 
home. While on this voyage we passed quite near the 
Lobas group of islands, or really a group of rocks, where 
seals and sea lions reared their young in great numbers. 
We were running with a free wind with our square sails 
set, and the course given me took us quite near the rocks. 
Upon the near approach of the schooner the seals set up a 
great roaring as they rolled into the water from their rocky 
beds and frolicked around in the water in our wake. It 
happened to be just at dinner time, and the officers taking 
passage were at table with the captain. I put my head 
down the hatchway and called to the captain to "come 
and see the seals playing around the vessel." He replied : 
"Will be up as soon as I finish dinner," but one of the 
officers came up at once. Calling out, he said : "Howison, 
come on deck !" As the captain came up he was surprised 
to see our nearness to the rocks; still I was keeping the 
course given me, but there was evidently a current setting 
us on toward them. The captain at a glance took in the 
situation. He directed me to "put the helm down and 
haul on the wind and give good distance in passing the 
rocks, remarking, by way of pleasantry, "Mr. Kell, you 
must think you are in a coach and four, driving round a 



18 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Street corner." 1 was strictly carrying out my orders, but 
was wanting in experience as a watch officer. For a long 
time after that I heard a great deal of "those seals and my 
coach and four." 

We reached Panama after a pleasant voyage, and took 
leave of our officers, who crossed the Isthmus on their way 
home. We anchored off the island of Toboga, which was 
then in its primitive state, and occupied by the native 
Indians, with the exception of an old Irish woman, who had 
married one of the head men of their tribe. She did the 
washing for the officers, using as a smoothing iron the 
conchs picked up on the seashore. This was truly a lovely 
spot in its primeval growth and beauty. Its limpid 
streams ran down from the hills above into grottoes, mak- 
ing beautiful natural bathing houses, which we enjoyed to 
the fullest extent. From our refreshing baths we would 
stroll up into the pineapple fields and gather the fruit ripe 
from the plant, and only those who have eaten it in this 
way know its exquisite perfection. After getting on board 
sufficient water for our voyage, with what fruit, vegetables, 
and poultry we could gather from the natives, and our sup- 
ply of clean linen from our Irish washerwoman, beautifully 
clean, but conch ironed and minus buttons, we took our 
departure from lovely Toboga, one of the natural garden 
spots of God's great universe. 

Returning along the coast of South America, with pleas- 
ant breezes and smooth seas, we stopped in the port of 
Payta, where a limited trade is carried on with coasting 
vessels and whalers. We also ran into the small port of 
Huanchaco. There, in company with the captain and one 
or two other officers, I left the schooner for a day's ride 
in the country to visit the ruins of one of the cities of the 
Incas, who occupied that country when Pizarro passed 
along on his conquering march to the city of Lima. We 
could distinctly trace out the streets and the foundations 
of some of the buildings. In our ride through these ruins 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 19 

we frightened up a fox from his lair, and had a wild chase 
over the old town, which was royal fun for a lot of sailors. 
On our return to the village of Huanchaco we were 
entertained at the house of one of the priests of the village, 
where v/e enjoyed a most delightful drink made from a 
species of the passion flower, or May-pop, called there the 
"granadelia." It is quite as acid and has a more pleasant 
taste than the common lime. We returned at sunset on 
board ship and next morning early got under way and 
stood down the coast for Callao, stopping at convenient 
points for hunting and fishing, for little health runs on 
shore, and other amusements of various kinds. 



Chapter III 

In the very early part of this cruise I find from old let- 
ters (one of which I will insert) that I was very much im- 
pressed with San Domingo and the surroundings, and 
must have picked up some traditions from the islanders. 

Latitude i8° 43' N., Long. 75° 23' W. 
May 6. 
My Dear Mother: We have in sight St. Domingo and the small 
island of Navaza, the latter noted for being the place where some of 
Columbus' men landed in crossing from Jamaica to St. Domingo in 
canoes, having lost their vessel on the former island. There were but 
two among his crew that would volunteer to cross, so after working on 
and improving the canoe to enable it better to stand the sea they 
started, taking Indians to paddle them. Before arriving at this island 
one of them died famishing for water, and after landing on the barren 
rock they found pools of water. The poor natives insisted upon drink- 
ing their fill, and would not listen to the precautions of the Spaniards, 
and several others, died. Had these daring adventurers missed this 
island they would certainly have perished before reaching St. Domingo, 
and Columbus no doubt would never have been heard from, but left to 
die by the hand of the savages. Soon after this adventure the natives 
stopped bringing him provisions, and it was with the greatest difficulty 
he could procure subsistence for his men. I was struck with the strata- 
gem he used for inducing the natives to furnish him with provisions. 
He ascertained that within three days there would be a total eclipse of 
the moon in the early part of the night. He therefore sent to the prin- 
cipal caciques, or head men, of each tribe, and summoned them to a 
conference, appointing for it the day of the eclipse. When they arrived 
he spoke to them sharply for having prevented their people from fur- 
nishing him with food. After haranguing them for some time he told 
them he and his followers worshiped a God who lived in the skies, 
who favored all that were good, but punished transgressors; that this 
great God was angry with the Indians who had refused to furnish his 
faithful followers with food, and intended to chasten them with famine 
and pestilence. Should they disbelieve his warning, a signal would be 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 21 

given that night that the moon would change its color as a token of 
the punishment that awaited them. Many scoffed at him, but waited 
most anxiously the coming of the night. The moon rose majestically 
and all eyes were fixed upon her. At the time Columbus told them, the 
moon grew darker and darker, and abject terror seized upon them. 
Hurrying to Columbus they implored him to intercede with his Deity, 
and they would hereafter bring him everything he required. Columbus 
left them, promising to intercede. When the eclipse was nearly over 
he returned, saying his God had deigned to listen, and would pardon 
them on condition that they kept their promise, and that the darkness 
would now be withdrawn. When the moon emerged in her brightness 
they were overwhelmed with joy, and furnished Columbus ever after- 
wards abundantly. 

The island of Navaza is also remarkable for a fountain of fresh 
water gushing up near it in the sea, which sweetens the surface for 
some distance. Should we be favored with fair winds to-night I think 
we may be at anchor off Aux Cayes to-morrow evening, as we are dis- 
tant some sixty miles. 

After this digression I will proceed to Callao, where we 
arrived and safely put into our old anchorage, March 6, 
1845. We found there at anchor the Store Ship Relief, 
the English Line of Battle Ship Collingwood, the English 
Steamer Cormorant, and the French Sloop of War Tri- 
umphante. This made it very gay. Every evening we 
were ofT watch or duty we fell into our old habit of going 
on shore for a horseback ride or some other pastime. In 
looking back at those days when, as the poet beautifully 
expresses it, "Life was in its spring," it took very little to 
awaken our mirth, and less with health and freedom from 
care to make us happy. 

On the 2d of April we set sail for Valparaiso, taking on 
board Captain Armstrong, returning home. After a very 
boisterous passage we arrived in Valparaiso on the 20th 
of April, and on the 25th experienced a very heavy gale 
from the northwest, which made our little vessel toss and 
pitch terrifically, with seas breaking entirely over us. One 
or two ships went aground. The next morning the shore 
presented an appearance of wreck and disaster. We were 
glad to leave this insecure bay, and on the 29th sailed on 



23 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

our return to Callao, having landed Captain Armstrong at 
Valparaiso. 

This city is the principal port of Chile, and while the bay 
upon which it is situated is capable of sheltering a large 
fleet or squadron, it is open to the north, and when winds 
prevail from this quarter it is scarcely a safe anchorage. 
Its name being interpreted means "Vale of Paradise," 
which it must have acquired from the delightful climate 
and picturesque scenery. It is quite a seat of commerce 
and is in the direct route of vessels proceeding to the 
countries bordering on the Pacific. 

My service on the Schooner Shark ended here and I was 
transferred to my old ship, the Frigate Savannah, bearing 
the broad pennant of Commodore John D. Sloat. 

While the service on board the little Schooner Shark 
was very much enjoyed, it was a pleasure to get back to the 
strict man-of-war discipline and etiquette of the frigate. 
We had a fine band of music on board, and were constantly 
receiving and exchanging visits with the officers of the 
foreign ships in port, principally English and French. 
After weeks of this life we were rejoiced to hear "all hands 
up anchor," bound for the Sandwich Islands. This voyage 
took us across the broad Pacific, and after falling into the 
trade winds we sailed for days without changing the course 
of the ship or trimming the yards. The entire voyage — 
so calm was the sea and so moderate the wind — might 
have been made in an open boat. \We came to anchor in 
Byron's Bay, Island of Hawaii, a beautiful land-locked 
bay, with the tropical growth coming down to the water's 
edge, while high up in the mountains could be seen streams 
rushing down precipices to mingle with the waters of the 
bay in silver spray. No sooner was the ship brought to 
anchor than we were surrounded by canoes with outrig- 
gers to steady them from capsizing, loaded with tropical 
fruits of all varieties. The natives, instead of passing from 
one boat to another to reach the side of the ship, would 
pass the fruit and disappear overboard, coming up along- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 33 

side the ship. As they were unencumbered by dress, this 
diving was easy to accomphsh, and they appeared quite as 
much at home in the water as out of it. The deck of the 
ship was soon spread out Hberally with all the beautiful 
fruits, thereby rejoicing the eyes that love the beautiful in 
Nature, and giving pleasure to officers and crew with the 
feast in anticipation, grown in this Paradise of the tropics. 
The natives then were a simple and confiding people, 
influenced for good by a missionary's family who lived 
among them. The dress of the females consisted of a 
loose flowing gown made from the bark of a tree. The 
males wore a coarser fibrous material of the same sort. 
The chief luxury in life seemed to consist in bathing. On 
the outskirts of the village was a beautiful pool of fresh 
water, formed by a stream coming down the mountain 
side, and they could be seen at all hours of the day going 
in and coming out, as merry as dolphins at play. Little 
children, just able to scramble up the rocks, would reach 
an elevated position and spring over into the pool with 
the exquisite grace of nymphs. Upon this island is the 
famous volcano of Mauna Loa, which has several times 
poured its streams of lava down the mountain side into the 
sea, destroying the fish for miles along the coast. The 
day after our arrival several of us got permission to visit 
this volcano, and secured a sufficient number of natives to 
carry our change of clothing in a "Sandwich Island trunk," 
which was really two immense gourds fitted into each 
other, the larger half over the smaller, thus making it air 
and water-tight. The mode of carrying was also novel, one 
on each side of a pole over a man's shoulder, being evenly 
balanced; the sticks so smooth and glossy that they did not 
even bruise the bare shoulders of the carrier. We at once 
began to climb the mountain, through beautiful groves of 
guava, a fruit peculiar for its water properties of slaking 
thirst, and which we enjoyed freely when no spring or 
stream was by. In many places we passed over beds of 
lava, like molten glass of greenish hue. After a tiresome 



24 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

day's jaunt we came to the "half-way house," utterly 
broken down. We were glad to rest on the clean mats 
furnished us, and enjoyed still more the relief afforded by 
their process of lomi-lomi, or, as it would now be called, 
"massage treatment." This was a gentle pounding of 
every muscle of the body and limbs with the fists. Before 
retiring, however, to this refreshing treatment we took the 
precaution to order our supper. They suggested a nice 
dog, but we said we preferred chickens and vegetables. 
They cook delightfully, in holes lined with smooth rocks 
in which they build fires. When the rocks become thor- 
oughly heated to the highest degree they put in the poul- 
try cut up in pieces of convenient size, wrapped in large 
plantain leaves so as to retain all the juices; then they 
cover these carefully prepared packages with hot rocks, 
over which they bank earth, leaving a vent hole for the 
steam to escape. This process of cooking retained all the 
flavor of meats and vegetables, and was delightful. I sup- 
pose it is akin to the process of barbecuing still prac- 
ticed in portions of the world, especially our own South. 
We arose in an hour or two and enjoyed this royal feast, 
"fit for the gods," then indulged in a cigar or two, and 
after a little merrymaking sought our luxurious couches of 
mats and slept soundly until the sun awoke us the next 
morning. Awaking with renewed energy we had the rem- 
nants of our feast of the evening before, with the addition 
of a nice cup of coffee, and proceeded up the mountain, 
arriving at the crater of the volcano about noon. The 
view was strikingly grand and wonderful to eyes that had 
never before beheld such workings of Nature. At the bot- 
tom of this extinct crater, about seven miles in circumfer- 
ence and several hundred feet deep, was a burning lake of 
lava some three miles in circumference and boiling like a 
pot of hominy. Our guides proposed our going down to 
the burning lake, to which we assented, and with long 
staffs furnished us we began our perilous descent. This 
feat we accomplished without accident, walking upon the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 35 

congealed lava to the very edge of the burning lake. Our 
guides were very careful to approach on the windward side, 
as it would have been instant death to have the wind blow 
on us across the molten lake. We however approached it 
in safety and near enough to put our staffs into the burn- 
ing lake. After accomplishing this feat we gladly retraced 
our steps, and were a little hurried in doing so when told 
"that a shift of wind would destroy us." 

Now came the "tug of war" in the ascent of the precipi- 
tous sides of the cavern, often stopping at convenient 
points to view the depths below. We reached the surface 
above just at sunset, and surveyed with amazement the 
wonderful fissures in the earth through which came sul- 
phurous fumes and steam. Along the margin of these fis- 
sures were beautifully crystallized formations of sulphur. 
As night approached we seated ourselves to view the mag- 
nificent pyrotechnics of Nature. The boiling caldron 
below presented a lake of fire spurting up the boiling lava 
in every conceivable and beautiful shape. This wonderful 
sight banished slumber from our eyes till the "wee sma' 
hours," when we could no longer resist "tired Nature's 
sweet restorer, balmy sleep." Early the next morning, 
after partaking of a light breakfast and a cup of refreshing 
cofTee, we retraced our steps down the mountain, dehghted 
with the specimens of lava we had obtained and put in our 
Sandwich Island trunks. We arrived at the village by 
the sea just in time to take passage in the sunset boat for 
our ship. The enjoyment of this visit to the crater of 
Mauna Loa lingers with me still, and is one of the unfor- 
gotten pleasures of my life. 



Chapter IV 

In A few days we took leave of this charming island and 
its beautiful scenery and made sail for Honolulu, Oaliu 
Island, reaching that port in two days. This port, even 
at that day, was the most important among the group of 
Sandwich Islands. Here the whalers gather to transfer 
their cargoes of oil and do their trading. Drunkenness 
and debauch was even at this early day showing itself 
among the poor natives from their contact with (so-called) 
civilization. Different, indeed, from Byron's Bay, where 
innocence and purity were presented in its primeval state. 
Our first visit to the shore was an official one, that of the 
commodore and his staff (of which I was a member) to 
call upon King Kamiamaha the third, then reigning mon- 
arch. Upon entering his palace each one, from the com- 
modore to the least important of the party, was requested 
to place his signature in a book presented by one of the 
king's officials. The reception room was nicely furnished, 
but presented no feature of European royalty. In a few 
minutes the king entered the room dressed in a full uni- 
form in European costume liberally covered with gold lace. 
He seemed very ill at ease, but was a fine specimen of the 
Kanaka, or Sandwich Island type. After exchanging the 
compliments usual on such occasions we took our leave. 
When out of the palace the missionary who accompanied 
us remarked, "The king will soon get out of his trapping 
and don his tappa-robe and go to the beach and his bath, 
where he spends most of the time." The surf bathing 
practiced by these natives is of a most exhilarating char- 
acter. Taking a little float of reeds, called a balsa, they 
work their way outside the heavy rollers, then watch their 
opportunity and get their balsa pointed in towards the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 27 

shore, and on top of the largest billow would come rushing 
in at tremendous speed to the beach, where the receding 
billow would leave them stranded. Shouldering their 
balsa they would go through the same sport time and 
again, till wearied of the healthful exercise and pastime. 
The natives generally were a fine-looking class of people; 
olive-colored, with black eyes, and long black hair, and of 
dignified mien. At that day there were very few foreign- 
ers on the island — only a few missionaries and their fami- 
lies. The women were fine equestriennes and always pre- 
sented a picturesque appearance. There is a famous ride 
there through what is called the "valley of death." The 
legend that gives it this name is this : During one of their 
tribal wars the victorious tribe drove their flying foe up 
this valley, which terminated in an abrupt precipice of 
looo feet or more, violently precipitating them into the sea, 
and, like Pharaoh's hosts of old, "the waters covered them 
up" and they were seen no more ! 

After making quite a stay at Honolulu we sailed for 
Mazatlan to gahi some information from the United States 
of the rumored threatened war with Mexico. Mazatlan 
lies on the west coast of Mexico. Here we remained from 
November i8, 1845, till June i, 1846. Six months we 
passed waiting anxiously for the treaties between the 
United States and Mexico, which all seemed tending to 
war. During our long stay at this port we sometimes 
amused ourselves hunting. The game was fine and 
abundant. Upon one occasion, going some distance back 
in the country to shoot pheasants, a party of us called at 
a good-looking cottage on a ranch and asked for butter- 
milk. We were invited in, and found a number of nice- 
looking women and a few very surly looking Mexicans. 
We were served with delightful milk, and left. After we 
got out of hearing we remarked to each other upon the 
cut-throat, brigandish looks of the men, and decided to be 
on our guard and within hearing of each other in our hunt. 
We were not mistaken in our suspicions. A short way 



28 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

from the ranch we noticed the fellows tracking us, guns 
in hand. Catching sight of them before they did of us, we 
changed our course, taking a direct line to the coast. They 
evidently intended to shoot us from the thicket. Notwith- 
standing this damper to our enthusiasm as sportsmen, we 
got up a fine flock of pheasants, and water fowl from the 
lake near the sea, returning on board with a nice lot of 
game and no disasters. 

On the 1st of June, 1846, learning that war had been 
declared with Mexico, we set sail for Monterey, where we 
arrived in safety and found at anchor the Sloops of War 
Cyane and Levant. On the 7th day of July we landed with 
a strong force and took formal possession of California, 
and hoisted the American colors. The name "California" 
is said to have been first used in an old book in Spain, and 
to mean "Island of Gold." While the legend is incorrect 
as to California being an island it may correctly be termed 
a country of gold, possessing as it does the richest gold 
mines yet discovered in the world. California at the date 
of which I write was almost an unknown country. A 
Jesuit mission was founded there in 1776, and through the 
rich valleys were missions, walled to resist the depredations 
of the natives. In the grounds surrounding these mis- 
sions they cultivated the fruits and vegetables of Europe, 
which grew so luxuriantly as to surpass anything ever seen 
in their native country. The vines, too, grew to great 
perfection and the pears were splendid. The grape had 
become so popular when we were there that the people of 
the country would bring pitchers of home-made wine — 
a most palatable and delightful beverage — to refresh us 
when we went among them. The women were kind and 
polite when we had occasion to stop and ask questions, but 
the country homes were conspicuous for the absence of the 
male members of the family. These were forming in 
squads or being organized to resist the invasion of the 
country. We left on shore a sufficient number of soldiers 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 29 

and seamen to hold possession of Monterey, it being at 
that time the Capital of California. There was no demon- 
stration by the natives against our holding peaceable pos- 
session of the town. 

After properly appointing the city authorities the squad- 
ron sailed for San Francisco to take possession of that 
point. There landing a force we immediately proceeded 
to build a blockhouse to guard against any attack from a 
large force. At that time the town of San Francisco con- 
sisted of only about half a dozen frame houses. Leaving 
a sufficient force at this place we sailed for the bay of San 
Pedro, where we arrived October 7th. On entering the 
harbor we passed the American Merchant Ship Vandalia, 
with a large body of men on board. She was at anchor. 
She saluted us with two guns, and gave three cheers, which 
we returned. Captain Gillespie, of the Marine Corps, 
came on board and reported that he had evacuated the 
Puebla de Los Angelos on account of the overpowering- 
force of the enemy. He retired on board the Vandalia 
after having spiked his guns. He also reported that all 
lower California had risen in arms against our authorities, 
headed by Flores, a captain in the Mexican Army. 

We made preparations for landing at daylight the next 
morning, when we landed 299 men. A few of the enemy, 
twenty or thirty men, were in sight on the Angelos road, 
a few more showing themselves and drawn up as if inclined 
to give battle. At 8 a. m. the entire force, under com- 
mand of Captain Mervine, took up the line of march for 
the purpose of retaking the Puebla de Los Angelos, the 
enemy retreating on the advance of our forces. A whale- 
boat arrived from San Diego bringing news that Captain 
Merritt, a volunteer, had been forced to retire on the 
American Ship Stoningtan, the enemy cutting off all pro- 
visions from them and collecting in great numbers. 
About 10 o'clock several discharges of artillery were heard 
distinctly in the direction of the Angelos road. About 



30 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

11.30 we discovered our forces returning toward the land- 
ing. At 2 p. M. the expedition arrived at the landing, hav- 
ing encountered the enemy with a field piece, which they 
moved from point to point, with their horses attached. 
Our men made three gallant charges, chasing them each 
time about half a mile, but they being on fine horses would 
keep out of musket range, when they would wheel and fire 
on our men, killing several. Finding it impossible to cap- 
ture the gun the retreat was sounded. Upon arriving at 
the landing a council of war was held. It was decided that 
without horses for hauling a field piece rapidly it would be 
useless to make the efi"ort to capture the enemy, and the 
forces embarked. 

Dispatches being received from San Diego, stating that 
Captain Merritt with forty men had taken possession of 
the town, Lieutenant George Minor, with Midshipmen 
Morgan and Duvall and a force of fifty men, were sent on 
board the Whale Ship Magnolia to take passage to San 
Diego to reinforce Captain Merritt. One week after I 
was dispatched in the second cutter to ascertain the con- 
dition of affairs at San Diego, a distance of sixty miles by 
sea, which I accomplished successfully, making the trip 
and returning in four days, and reported everything in 
favorable condition. We now got under way and sailed 
for San Francisco, where we found the enemy operating in 
the valley of Santa Clara. An expedition was at once 
ordered to be fitted out, and knowing from our sad expe- 
rience at San Pedro the want of cavalry, I was ordered in 
our launch to transport from the north to the south side of 
the bay a number of horses. It was a difficult feat, but I 
accomplished it. My last load of horses, six in number, got 
very restless and could not be managed. I expected every 
moment to see them stamp holes in the bottom of the 
launch, when all hands would be lost. I determined there- 
fore to jump them overboard. It was truly wonderful to 
see the instinct of the animals. They struck out for the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 31 

shore, though a mile or two distant. To my great sur- 
prise we found them all the next morning safely on shore 
near where they landed. We now landed from the ship 
a force of blue jackets and marines, with a field piece, ac- 
companied by the cavalry, and started in pursuit of the 
enemy. 



Chapter V 

From sources apparently reliable we learned that the 
enemy were in force in the neighborhood of Santa Clara 
Mission, We made easy marches, coming to camp about 
sunset, always sending some cavalry ahead to select a 
camping ground and butcher beeves in readiness for our 
arrival. After the fatiguing march of the day we would 
arrive at camp thoroughly prepared in appetite to enjoy 
the California beef. The cattle grazing on the rich grasses 
and wild oats of the fertile valleys were superbly fine. 
"Jack Tar," with his brother marines, would sit round the 
camp fires and roast his rib of beef with as much zest and 
pleasure as though he were native to the plains. 

The second morning after leaving the ship the courier 
came in and reported the enemy in camp in a piece of red- 
woods up in the hills. As it was a rough road ascending 
the hills, the artillery piece and the infantry were ordered 
to keep in the plains, while the cavalry were detailed to 
reconnoitre and ascertain the exact locality and force of 
the enemy. Being mounted myself, I obtained permission 
lo accompany the cavalry. We were armed with car- 
bines and revolvers. At early dawn we started on the 
march, A thick fog enveloped the hillsides, and here oc- 
curred one of those strange phenomena — an optical illu- 
sion. Three of us were riding abreast, somewhat in ad- 
vance of the column. Simultaneously each of us cocked 
and raised our carbines to our shoulders to fire upon what 
seemed to be a few cavalrymen of the enemy coming 
toward us down the hill. The next instant the fog cleared 
and instead of the cavalry we found only a clump of 
bushes! We proceeded up the hill, using great caution, 
and in silence. Upon reaching the summit we discovered 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 33 

the camp of the enemy, just abandoned. We followed 
their trail down into the plains again, and soon rifle shots 
were heard and our scouts came in and reported the enemy 
just ahead of us, in large force, mounted. We had by 
this time joined our infantry and field piece. We 
advanced upon them, they firing indiscriminately from 
their horses, and retreating as we advanced. They evi- 
dently meant to draw us on to the open prairie beyond, 
where they could maneuver their cavalry to greater advan- 
tage. As we emerged from the timber land the enemy 
surrounded us, and dismounting from their horses, were 
completely hid by the tall prairie grass and commenced a 
rapid fire upon our body of men. We returned the fire, 
aiming only at the smoke from the discharge of their guns, 
for neither men nor horses could be seen. I now worked 
the field piece to great advantage, loading with grape and 
canister, and trained the gun on the point from which came 
the greatest discharge of the foe. The grape and canister 
tearing through the high grass would flush the fellows 
from their cover like a covey of partridges before a fowling 
piece, when they would mount their horses and ride to a 
more respectful distance. In this way we carried on a run- 
ning fight till we neared the old Mission of Santa Clara. 
The occupants, who had crossed the mountains and taken 
refuge in the old mission, came out joyfully to join us in 
the fight. Very soon the Californians were routed and 
dispersed in all directions. We were received with great 
joy by our countrymen from the East who had crossed the 
plains and the mountains. Early the next morning a 
courier came in from the enemy to treat for peace. The 
offer was accepted, on condition that they deliver up all 
arms and horses that had been unjustly taken from the 
people and that they retire to their homes and become 
peaceful citizens. These terms were accepted, as that dis- 
tant territory of Mexico had Httle in sympathy with the 
government. The large drove of horses captured were 
driven into a corral and we saw for the first time the dex- 



34 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

terity with which they used the lasso. Citizens coming in 
and claiming- their horses, such animals were immediately 
lassoed and turned over to the owners. It is said that the 
California boy, as soon as he can run around the yard, uses 
his lariat in catching chickens, dogs, cats, and all the do- 
mestic animals for their infantile sport, as the American 
boy would play marbles. The guns were all stacked up 
in piles, and presented a motley appearance of ancient 
fowling pieces that would have done credit to Falstafif's 
ragged regiment, and were calculated to do more harm to 
the persons using them than to those against whom they 
were directed. This no doubt accounted for the fact that 
only one of our men was wounded in the engagement of 
the previous day. We remained at the Mission of Santa 
Clara several days, till all hostilities were quieted, amusing 
ourselves hunting wild geese that covered the plains 
around Santa Clara in such numbers that when they rose 
for flight they almost obscured the sun like a cloud. We 
found them excellent food, and took numbers of them on 
board the ship. A courier was dispatched to the commo- 
dore reporting the treaty made with the Californians and 
their quiet retirement to their homes. Boats were then 
sent to the head of the bay, where we embarked our artil- 
lery piece and infantry forces, and returned to our ships, 
the cavalry returning by land to San Francisco. Thus 
ended our military operations against this peaceful people, 
who cared more for tending their flocks and herds and 
sitting "in the shadow of their own vine and fig tree" than 
they did for warfare. General Fremont had reached the 
Pacific Coast, crossing the plains and the Rocky Moun- 
tains with a force of cavalry woodsmen from the Western 
country, and his presence there had a most beneficial effect 
in suppressing any disturbances through the interior while 
the Navy garrisoned the seaports. 

We sailed from San Francisco for the harbor of Monte- 
rey, and on the i8th of March, 1847, the joyful call of the 
boatswain and his mates, "all hands up anchor for home," 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 35 

resounded through our ship. A salute of thirteen guns 
was fired in passing the Frigate Independence, the flagship 
of Commodore Stockton, who had assumed command of 
the Pacific Squadron. We manned the rigging and gave 
three hearty cheers, and stood to sea. 

After a long and very monotonous voyage we came to 
anchor in the harbor of Valparaiso, with several cases of 
scurvy showing itself among our crew, the result of living 
without vegetables. On the 24th day of May we hoisted 
the English flag at the fore and the American at the main 
and mizzen in honor of the birthday of Victoria, Queen 
of England. On the 28th of May Lieutenant Command- 
ing Neil M. Howison left the ship to return to the United 
States by the way of the Isthmus of Panama as bearer of 
dispatches from Commodore J. Biddle to the Government 
at Washington. On the 31st of May we stood to sea on 
our homeward passage. OfT Cape Horn we encountered 
heavy gales, as usual off that stormy coast, and welcomed 
the more moderate temperature and pleasant sailing when 
we reached the South Atlantic. 

Standing to the northward on the 21st of July we ex- 
changed numbers with the U. S. Frigate Columbia at 
anchor in the harbor of Rio Janeiro. We saluted the 
broad pennant of Commodore L. Rousseau with thirteen 
guns, which was returned with the same number. We 
anchored in this beautiful harbor, and here got the news 
of the surrender of Vera Cruz to our Army and Navy; 
also of the battle of Buena Vista, where General Taylor, 
with 5000 men, had been victorious over Santa Anna with 
20,000. On the 27th Flis Excellency Henry A. Wise, U. 
S. Minister to Brazil, visited the ship. We manned the 
yards and saluted him with seventeen guns. On the 28th 
of July we hove up anchor and made sail for the harbor of 
New York, at which port we arrived about the middle of 
September, rejoiced to reach our native shores after a 
long, arduous and eventful cruise, with successful duty 
and service in the Mexican War. 



Chapter VI 

The joy of the home coming of a sailor after years of 
absence is something that can scarcely be imagined by one 
who has never known long absences from friends or found 
'■'a home on the ocean wave." In the course of a week we 
were all detached from our ship, where we had passed over 
four years, and while happy in the thought of reaching 
our homes, there was pain in parting from those with 
whom we had been associated as one family for so 
long a time. Of course we might hope to meet again, 
but things, places, persons, surroundings would "never be 
as they had been;" and change, the universal change that 
is written on all human affairs, brought over our hearts 
and spirits a sadness known only to parting friends. Mine 
was perhaps the most distant home to reach. Now began 
my fears as a sailor of the mode of land travel by railroad. 
I was possessed with the idea that I might be killed before 
I could reach the seaboard of Georgia, and not until I 
reached home did I draw a long and comfortable breath ! 
Sailors are universally believed to be very superstitious 
creatures, and I dare say as a boy I had my visions of "fly- 
ing Dutchmen," ghosts, dreams, etc., but maturer years 
have shattered these follies as the baseless fabric of dreams 
and I have learned to look through Nature in all her gran- 
deur and beauty up to Nature's God ! I could only spend 
a few weeks in the home of my childhood, as my class were 
all assembled at Annapolis (the Naval Academy) studying 
hard for the coming examination in the spring. On my 
arrival in Annapolis I was placed in the room with some 
of my friends and companions of the Pacific Squadron who 
had preceded me and were applying themselves with all 
diligence to their books. The earnestness with which they 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 37 

went to work in the evenings after lamps were lit gave me 
serious alarm lest I should never be able to school myself 
to such close application. These roommates, who have 
proved the friends of my life, Robert D, Minor, of the 
grand old Commonwealth of Virginia; Robert C. Duvall, 
of the old North State, and Abercrombie, of Maryland, 
making the quartette of our room. Let me introduce my 
roommates more clearly as they stand reflected pictures, 
as it were, on the walls of the sacred halls of memory! 
Duvall, or as we called him, "Duvy," was the eldest, and 
stood 6 feet 3 inches in height, as noble and generous in 
every impulse of his true warm heart as he was grand in 
stature as a man. He applied himself with so much zeal 
and closeness to his studies that he was stricken down 
with fever. His restless nights were made miserable by 
his endeavor to work the difficult problems of his geometry 
lessons even in his delirium or sleep. He would wake 
unrefreshed in the morning, declaring "if he could only 
solve those problems, he thought he might get well." 
Finally the problems were all solved and he did grow 
strong and well again. Abercrombie, always mild and 
pleasant, I see him in my mind's eye rubbing his head 
(already a little bald), vowing vengeance against old 
Chauvenet, our professor in mathematics, for giving us 
such long and difificult lessons to try our souls. Bob 
Minor — our youngest, jolliest, happiest boy! Quick to 
learn and master his lessons, as quick to laugh at those who 
had not been so fortunate; always first to close his book, 
with a most triumphant smile, and exclaim, "Ready for 
bed!" 

Our room, unfortunately, was located at the head of the 
stairs on the second floor of the building known as "Rowdy 
Row." It was often the pleasure of those for whom it was 
named to make night hideous with their frolics. One 
favorite amusement of theirs was to get a number of 32- 
pound balls from the battery near by and, taking them up 
the flight of stairs to the end of the long piazza, roll them 



38 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

ill quick succession the length of the piazza, where they 
would go thumping down the steps with the noise of 
thunder, rousing the sleeping inmates of the building. 
There was no use trying to hunt up the perpetrators of 
this mischievous performance — they were always "soundly 
sleeping." Similar annoyances were carried on through- 
out by those who were not caring for the approaching ex- 
amination. I am glad to state, though, that we had in 
that day none of those disgraceful, cruel hazings that are 
now practiced and are so criminal. 

Upon the approach of Christmas I received a box from 
home — and herein I must relate a hard joke on myself. 
Among other things came an enormous fruit cake. Of 
course I had "to make merry with my friends" and give a 
Christmas entertainment. After smuggling in a few bot- 
tles of wine — for what would the cake be without the 
accompanying refreshment? — I found I had forgotten the 
all-important corkscrew (though I had furnished a few 
wine glasses). What was to be done? We resorted to 
the only means to get at the wine. Snapping the necks 
of the bottles with a quick stroke of a knife (which was 
accomplished dexterously), our feast began. We enjoyed 
both cake and wine "hugely," as our English cousins 
would say, but oh, the consequences ! Next morning 
there was a tale to be told. I — the host — was ill, very ill. 
I at once dispatched a messenger for the surgeon, fearing 
I could not survive till he came. I freely unbosomed to 
him my violation of all school discipline, and he, like a 
true medical adviser, did not betray the confidence of his 
patient. I heard nothing of my secret and impromptu 
entertainment, and was much relieved in mind and body 
by the good doctor's visit, he assuring me that violent and 
acute dyspepsia, and not broken glass, which I supposed 
I had swallowed, was the root of the trouble ! Since that 
fateful night I have never had a weakness for fruit cake — 
no matter how black or rich — but I regret to say I have 
always had a tendency to dyspepsia, a reminder of youth- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 39 

fill folly ! After the Christmas holidays I applied myself 
most earnestly to my books, and passed a fairly creditable 
examination — that is, in a class of 200 I passed number o.y. 
This class was a celebrated one and passed some remark- 
able men — men who are now the head of the Federal 
Navy; but many of the most gifted gave up their positions 
and stood by and were true to their Southern homes. 
Among these W. H. Parker, who took the first honor in 
the class, shared with Catesby Jones of glorious memory! 

From the Naval School I was ordered to join the Sloop 
of War Albany at Norfolk. Norfolk is a famous old sea- 
port town, renowned for pretty girls; and being one of the 
principal Stations, or Navy Yards, had always an abund- 
ance of young Navy Officers on hand. Our accomplished 
classmate Wm. H. Parker here found his bride, one of the 
belles and beauties of Norfolk. After a lapse of many 
years I was very happy in meeting them both at the un- 
veihng of the statue to General R. E. Lee in Richmond, 
Virginia, both well preserved and happy. Norfolk in 
those old times was very gay, and we, being much elevated 
at the insignia of passed midshipmen on our uniforms, 
were prepared to add to the gaiety. 

We were some months in fitting out the ship, and by 
early fall sailed for the West Indies, a delightful cruise 
through the Windward Islands. This cruise, however, was 
destined to be of short duration. While we were anchored 
at Fort du France — the memorable home of Josephine in 
the Island of Martinique — there was a want of harmony 
between the lieutenants and the passed midshipmen which 
resulted in an order that we should perform strictly the 
duties of midshipmen, such as "calling the watch, and 
lighting the candle of the lieutenant who had to go on 
duty." It so happened that the first order was given to 
me. I declined to obey it, stating that the duty had been 
previously performed by the quartermasters, I considered 
it a menial service, and would not do it. The lieutenant 
of the watch urged me strongly to do it, or he "would 



40 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

have to report me for disobedience of orders." I 
replied that "I had made up my mind fully to perform no 
menial duty and that he was at liberty to report me," which 
he did, I was then summoned into the presence of a very 
irate gentleman, Captain Victor M. Randolph, of Virginia. 
He stormed at me violently; said he "would have me court 
martialed and dismissed from the service." I very quietly 
told him "I would not obey the order." 

Thereupon he directed the lieutenant to "suspend me 
from duty and report the case to the first lieutenant of the 
ship in the morning-." The three other passed midshipmen 
in like manner refused to obey the order and were also sus- 
pended, making a very strong case of "mutinous insub- 
ordination." We continued our cruise along the south side 
of San Domingo and Cuba, stopping in at various ports, 
which we, however, under suspension, were never allowed 
to visit._ This continued for three months, when the con- 
finement so affected our health that the kind old surgeon, 
Dr. Spotswood, reported that the "passed midshipmen 
must be permitted to visit the shore for exercise," which 
requirement was granted and our health improved. From 
Cuba we ran down to Vera Cruz, where we met the flag- 
ship of the squadron, and charges were preferred against 
us without delay. The commodore ordered our ship im- 
mediately to the Pensacola Navy Yard, the rendezvous of 
the Gulf Squadron, he following soon after. On arriving 
at Pensacola a court martial was ordered for our trial. 
Here at Pensacola I made the acquaintance of Lieutenant 
Raphael Semmes, who had just been admitted to the bar 
of Alabama. He had shortly before this obtained a leave 
of absence from the Navy Department for the purpose of 
studying law. He little dreamed then the important part 
this knowledge of international law would bear on his 
future life, so thoroughly fitting him for his work in after 
years while in command of the world-renowned Confeder- 
ate States Steamer Alabama. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 41 

But to return to the court martial. He very generously 
tendered his services as counsel in our case. His distin- 
guished ability, however, was not sufficient to overcome 
the precedent which custom had made a law. The result 
of the trial was our "dismissal from the service for wilful 
disobedience of orders." To show that the sentiment of 
our brother officers was with us, and that they approved 
our appreciation of our position as officers in objecting to 
doing menial duty, after the sentence of the court one of 
its members, who resided in Pensacola, gave us a very 
handsome reception, inviting all friends to meet us before 
we departed for our homes. 

I found my way into upper Georgia, where my mother's 
family were spending the summer in the little town of Ros- 
well. After a rest, a friend, Daniel Stuart Elliott, and I 
took a buggy and made a tour of upper Georgia, stopping 
each nightfall at country houses, where we enjoyed some 
rare fun and experiences with our entertainers — I being 
always introduced as a "traveled officer who had seen ser- 
vice in Cahfornia and seen a great deal of the outside 
world." My narrations about the gold regions may have 
upset some quiet country homes and sent some squatters 
out to the "diggins" across the rockies. One old man in 
particular became so enthused he exclaimed, delightedly, 
"I am just going to hitch up my team an' take my ole 
'oman and that boy and gal [his children] and start across 
the plains" — as though he thought it a day's jaunt or a 
May-day picnic ! 

We passed through the little town of Dahlonega, then 
occupied by a rough set digging for gold, reported to be 
abundant in rich deposits, and where a mint had been 
estabhshed. This town is the seat of a branch college of 
the State University, under military discipline, and an 
honor to Georgia. From there we went to Tallulah 
Falls, enjoying the wild and beautiful scenery. We also 
took in on our trip the villages of Clarksville and Gaines- 
ville. One night, in the depths of the country, we came 



42 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

upon an old and humble hut, but it boasted an independent 
proprietor. He refused us shelter, said he "had nobody to 
feed our horse," etc.; whereupon we told him we preferred 
attending to our animal ourselves. He then remarked, 
in a surly way, "Thar's the corn-crib, go feed." We 
obeyed, and after doing so went into the cabin. He was 
very sulky, but we determined to win him over, or talk 
him into a good humor. After spinning him a few sea 
yarns he begged us to stay with him some days, and really 
turned out to be a pattern of hospitality ! His house had 
lately been visited and made headquarters for the wares of 
a clock peddler. I think there were at least twenty-five 
or thirty clocks of the old-fashioned striking kind — no soft 
cathedral bell tones of the present-day clock! All these 
were wound up, ticking loud, and no two striking at the 
same time. If they did not make night hideous, they cer- 
tainly made it noisy. The good wife proceeded to get 
supper for us, and after enjoying a cup of hot coffee — not 
made after the French style — and a comfortable supper we 
lit our cigars and drew round the old-fashioned fireplace, 
and with a fat pine knot to make the evening's light, we 
entertained our host and hostess with more of my travels, 
every word of which they drank in with evident delight. 
We retired at a reasonable hour — but not to sleep. The 
busy clocks, with their ceaseless ticking and striking, made 
the night wild and weird. I think I learned in that long, 
sleepless night to value the blessing of silence ! — and we 
certainly had time drag very heavily on our hands. We 
made a very early start the next morning and were glad 
to find ourselves in a few hours at the little village of Ros- 
well, from which we had begun our jaunt, again among 
family and friends. 



Chapter VII 

The pleasant little town of Roswell is situated in Cobb 
County, and took its name from its founder, Mr. Roswell 
King, a former resident of Mcintosh County, on the sea- 
board. Its society was made up mostly of low country 
families of culture and refinement. The sisters of Captain 
James D. Bulloch, whose name is now famous in history 
as the agent of the Confederate Navy abroad, were great 
belles; also Miss Mary Lewis, who afterwards became the 
wife of one of Georgia's most distinguished physicians. 
Dr. Wm. Gaston Bulloch, of Savannah, I must here pay 
a passing tribute to this lady's grace on horseback; she 
has always been my ideal of an equestrienne, and I 
recall with pleasure our delightful rides together through 
the beautiful region of upper Georgia that pleasant sum- 
mer. Captain Bulloch has made a valuable contribution 
to history in his able work, entitled "Secret Service of the 
Confederate Navy Abroad." He further distinguished 
himself by superintending the construction of the famous 
War Steamer Alabama, and his successful ruse in getting 
her out of English waters, — but more of that hereafter. 

The autumn found us wending our way coastward and 
homeward. It also found me filled with restless discon- 
tent and longing for the service in which I had begun my 
life and to which I was so much attached. This I think 
prompted my friends to look forward with hoge to having 
me reinstated (feeling that I had in nowise tarnished my 
honor as an officer in the United States Navy) to my lost 
place. My venerable and distinguished relative, Hon. 
Thos. Spalding, of Sapelo Island, was a life-long friend of 
Hon. J. McPherson Berrien, Georgia's distinguished 
lawyer and Senator, though they had in their middle life 



44 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

been estranged through poHtical differences. To him my 
relative generously offered to write, and took the oppor- 
tunity of referring to their earlier days, in memory of which 
he desired him to do him the favor of using his influence 
in having me restored to the Navy. This letter, so well 
worthy of publication, a copy of which was sent to my 
mother, I herewith insert. 

Hon. J. McPiiERSON Berrien, 

Sir: You will no doubt be surprised in the relation we have stood 
to each other for some years to receive a letter from me, — but at sev- 
enty-six years old it is time to sweep from my mind any dust that has 
been scattered over it. As I owe to politics neither honors nor profits 
in my long life, it may be but just that I should not be deprived by 
politics of the good-will of even one gentleman. 

John Kell, with three other young gentlemen from different States 
(passed midshipmen), have all been dismissed from the service for de- 
clining to light the lieutenants to or from the ward room. 

This was certainly a most extraordinary order, and I was greatly 
surprised, knowing the character that John Kell in eight years' service 
had acquired with five different commanders, had not received it smil- 
ingly and obeyed it in the same mood, for such an order could only 
degrade him that gave, not him that obeyed it. This I told John Kell 
this morning when I gave him promise of this letter, and he assured 
me "that his refusal to obey originated solely in his respect for what he 
believed to be his grade in the Navy." With this impression on my 
mind I ask you to read the evidences given on the court martial of 
these young gentlemen, and if they have been wronged, and if a remedy 
is within reach, you will best know after such examination. John Kell 
has under five commanders been highly spoken of by all, and I under- 
stand that the other young men stood well in their several situations. 
John Kell's letters to his mother and sisters for eight years past have 
been given me for my perusal. They display great ability as well as 
correct observation of all around him, and would well have borne pub- 
lication. But there is one act of his life which will reach the feelings 
of any father — when he entered the service he applied a part of his pay 
to the education of his younger brother. 

In our many years of intercourse there is one circumstance of my 
early life I do not remember mentioning to you, the attachment of your 
mother to my Aunt Hester Mcintosh, the grandmother of John Kell. 
I remember that she communicated to us your mother's death, and that 
she had watched over her in her last illness ; she had received from her 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 45 

some little poems in manuscript. The interest my aunt felt was com- 
municated to my young mind, I being a younger brother to her, and 
now after sixty-six years there remains upon my memory several lines 
of your mother's monody, on her brother, that fell with Montgomery 
at the gates of Quebec. There remains also on my memory two playful 
lines of hers upon John Hustace whom she had met in Philadelphia when 
he was the aide of General Lee. Hustace was the wittiest, but the vain- 
est young man (and the most presumptuous) in the Army. 

"Alexis, with grace, can toy a lady's fan — 
Has every art to be a beau, but none to be the man." 

The whole life of this young man shows the correct opinion your 
mother had formed of him. But my letter has grown too long. 

Respectfully yours, 

Thos. Spalding. 

Fortified by this letter I set out for Washington City, 
and immediately called upon Senator Berrien, and was 
received by this grand gentleman with a hearty welcome 
and courtliness of manner which impressed me with 
respect and admiration. After reading the letter he ex- 
pressed the greatest pleasure and satisfaction in being able 
to accede to the wish of his friend. He said he would re- 
view the proceedings of the court martial and do all in his 
power for my reinstatement. He forthwith took the mat- 
ter in hand. I remained in Washington city some weeks, 
but soon after my return home received the official infor- 
mation of my reinstatement, with the other passed mid- 
shipmen, to our former rank and position, losing a year's 
pay, that being the time we were out of the service. I at 
once applied for orders to sea, and was soon gratified with 
instructions to proceed at once to Philadelphia to join the 
United State Frigate Susquehanna, there fitting out for 
a cruise to the East Indies, bearing the broad pennant of 
Commodore Aulick, with Captain Inman as his flag offi- 
cer. I left home in the spring of 185 1 for another long 
and very interesting cruise. 

Upon passing through the city of Charleston, South 
Carolina, I learned that the world-renowned songstress. 



46 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

"Jenny Lind, the Swedish Nightingale," would sing that 
night. I remained over for the purpose of hearing her. 
The memory of her sweet voice has remained with me ever 
since as one of the greatest musical privileges of my life. 

The next morning I took steamer for Wilmington in the 
face of a heavy northeast gale of wind, and after a boister- 
ous passage reached my destination in safety. Upon re- 
porting to the commodore at Philadelphia he informed me 
that the Frigate Susquehanna had the day before sailed for 
Norfolk to complete her outfit. He gave me orders to 
proceed to that point and report for duty to the com- 
mander, which I did. On reaching Norfolk I found the 
officers all quartered on shore and that it would be a month 
or more before she could get to sea. I enjoyed very much 
meeting again my old Navy friends and former compan- 
ions, also my lady friends at Norfolk, from which port we 
sailed on the memorable cruise in the Albany, from which 
ship I had been court martialed. I took up my lodging 
at a boarding house on Portsmouth Point, where a num- 
ber of Navy officers with their families found temporary 
homes. We enjoyed social life here very much indeed. 
Among the boarders was a fine old gentleman from the 
Eastern Shore of Maryland, Major Hall, of the Marine 
Corps. Passed Midshipman Bennett and I roomed to- 
gether. Daily as we met at dinner the Major would send 
his decanter of wine, asking the pleasure of a glass of wine 
with Bennett and myself. This we highly appreciated, 
but could not return the compliment, being rather young 
for the privilege of keeping wine for our use at table in the 
presence of ladies. We therefore determined to give the 
Major a wine supper in our room before we sailed. Ac- 
cordingly, we laid in a basket of champagne and some of 
the choicest wines the market of Norfolk afiforded, accom- 
panied with nuts, raisins, oHves, cigars, etc. We also 
invited a few officers to meet the Major. It is pleasant to 
recall at this day the memory of that very convivial party 
that surrounded our table, and the tales told by the genial 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 47 

Major, our honored gnest, who was the personification of 
the old school gentleman, for which the Eastern Shore 
was so renowned. Toward the "wee sma' hours" we es- 
corted the Major to his room, not without the assistance 
of his good wife, however, who came for him, his youthful 
hosts and escorts being about as much disabled by the fes- 
tivities of the evening, so jovially spent, as was the hon- 
ored guest himself! 

Youth has its joys as well as its follies, and what could 
matter the headaches that followed such lordly fun — that 
lightened our purses and our hearts? Soon after this royal 
entertainment we joined our ship and set sail for the Island 
of Madeira. We took on board our Minister to Brazil, 
Mr. Yancey, and his family as guests of the commodore. 
We had a pleasant voyage to Madeira, and enjoyed the 
scenery and climate of that delightful island. Madeira is 
a great health resort for the English invalids. They have 
added to the picturesque appearance of the south side of 
the island by building beautiful homes and villas there. 
This island is world-renowned for the wine made there 
that bears its name. It is famous for its convent and the 
lovely lace work done by the nuns, in both of which the 
officers invested. I laid in several quarter casks of south 
side Madeira, which was much enhanced in value by its 
four-years' cruise around the world. Upon my arrival at 
home I put the wine in glass, and during the Civil War our 
faithful old carriage driver carefully buried it, and although 
the old home was often raided by the enemy, the old negro 
was faithful to his trust and resurrected and returned it 
after the war. A sale of a portion of this wine came in 
good time to replenish my empty pocket book at the close 
of the war. I still retain a few bottles to make merry on 
state occasions, such as weddings. When I first returned 
from the China cruise in 1855 a dozen bottles of this wine 
were used at the wedding of my cousin, the daughter of 
Commodore James McKay Mcintosh, and some months 
later at my own wedding. Some years ago at the wed- 



48 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

ding- in my own house of a favorite niece a bottle of the 
wine was used at forty-five years of age, with a bouquet 
and flavor unsurpassed. Some years later it was used to 
drink to the health and happiness of my beloved daughter 
upon her marriage. 

But to return to my cruise and the beautiful Island of 
Madeira. Horseback riding w^as a great diversion on the 
island, a peculiar feature of wdiich was that the hostler 
from whom you hired the beast enjoyed running along- 
side of you and occasionally relieved the weariness of his 
run by swinging on to the tail of the horse. The hostler 
wore a remarkable cap with a keen pointed end sticking 
erect from his head, the cap just covering his scalp, which 
stuck so closely that it must have been kept on by suction. 
The view to which this really historic ride led was grand 
in the extreme. It presented the precipitous northern 
side of the island upon which the waves of the ocean con- 
tinuously and wildly beat its even monotone, a contrast 
indeed to the south side, which is a garden of luxurious 
beauty, where rose geranium and other sweet plants (to 
us exotics) grow wild and in great profusion, loading the 
air with perfume, and the grape vine covers every avail- 
able spot. After enjoying our national holiday, July 4, 
on this garden spot of Nature, we set sail for Rio Janeiro. 
We experienced some very rough weather on our passage, 
and discovered our mainmast sprung, which necessitated 
hoisting it out and making proper repairs. For this pur- 
pose we obtained permission from the Brazilian Govern- 
ment to go into dock, where we were detained a month 
or two. Captain Inman was here detached from the ship 
with orders to return home, leaving the command immedi- 
ately to Commodore Aulick. During our long stay in 
port we had the opportunity of seeing much of this grand 
city, built upon a magnificent bay along whose shores are 
dotted here and there villages of rare beauty, adorned with 
tropical foliage; in the distance rise the Organ Mountains, 
remarkable for their tapering peaks and presenting some 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 49 

of the grandest views of any harbor in the world. This 
city is famous for the beauty of its cathedrals and other 
public buildings. The inhabitants are largely foreign, 
especially French and Portuguese. The handling of cof- 
fee forms the principal part of their trade. One of our 
greatest pleasures was to ride along the shores of this beau- 
tiful bay and visit the Botanical Gardens, a few miles from 
the city. The walks of these gardens are lined with colos- 
sal palms on either side, forming avenues of beauty, and 
the gardens are filled with every variety of rare plant and 
shrub of the tropics. Although in latitude 22° 56' south, 
the vast quantity of water of the Southern Hemisphere 
tempers the climate so as to make fires unnecessary, ex- 
cept for culinary purposes, and all the fruits of the tropics 
grow profusely and Nature wears an aspect of wild luxuri- 
ance as though perpetually basking in the sunshine and 
smile of the Great Creator. 

The plumage of the birds in Brazil is gorgeous. The 
variety, especially of the little humming bird, is very won- 
derful. Even insect life is rainbow hued, and the beetle is 
so rich and gemlike as often to be set in gold and worn as 
jewelry. The nuns in their seclusion work up the brilliant 
feathers of the birds into flowers, rivaling Nature itself. 
Among the handsomest of these they imitate the varie- 
gated camellia japonica and the superb carnation, both 
among the fairest of flowers. 



Chapter VIII 

Under the reign of Dom Pedro II. the Empire of Brazil 
advanced rapidly in civilization and the fine arts. He in- 
vited to his empire talent of every kind, and rewarded it 
with magnanimous liberality. The officers of our ship 
had the honor of a reception paid us by the emperor and 
empress upon their visit to the Navy Yard. The emperor 
seemed indifferent and ill at ease, but the empress was pe- 
culiarly graceful and charming in manner, saluting us with 
smiles of recognition. After completing our repairs we 
reluctantly bade adieu to this beautiful city and made sail 
for the Cape of Good Hope on our way to the China Seas, 
or, as we term it in naval parlance, for the "East India Sta- 
tion." Our run across the South Atlantic had no remark- 
able features and we arrived at Table Bay after a pleasant 
and eventless passage. The reception and welcome we 
met with there from our "English cousins" was warm and 
refreshing after the contact and intercourse with nations of 
other tongues. We entertained and in return enjoyed the 
hospitality of the English families sojourning at the Cape. 
There were assembled at that time a large number of 
English people, the soldiers of whose families were en- 
gaged in the Kaffir War. 

Like all military stations, there was great gaiety and 
mirth, notwithstanding the nearness to the seat of war. 
Table Bay is an open roadstead to the northward and 
westward, and at seasons of northwesterly gales subject 
to the sea swells of the South Atlantic Ocean. Fortun- 
ately, we did not encounter any of these gales. The city 
of Cape Town is built in crescent shape around this horse- 
shoe harbor, running back to the hills that rise and form 
the remarkable Table Mountain. Near Cape Town is 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 51 

located the celebrated vineyard where the "Constantia 
wine" is made. Occasionally we would ride out to enjoy 
the hospitality of its proprietor and quaff that famous 
wine, so exquisite, but now little known to the wine mar- 
kets of the world. 

After leaving the city and its suburbs and crossing the 
point of the cape to Simon Town, where is located the 
naval station and a more secure anchorage, one passes 
over deserts of sand over which a wind called the "har- 
mattan" blows with great force and fury, obliging one to 
veil the face to protect the eyes from the refraction of the 
sun's rays as well as the sand. A remarkable hostelry on 
this lonely road attracts attention, famous only for its 
name, however, — "The Gentle Shepherd of Salisbury 
Plains," — and we found a good glass of beer and cheese 
quite a refreshment and very acceptable after our ride. 
From Table Bay we made sail around the Cape, still shap- 
ing our course eastward. Our next harbor was that of 
the poetic harbor of Mauritius, said to have been 
the home of "Paul and Virginia." This tender love 
story has delighted the youth of many climes and 
nations. Our first visit after arrival in port was to 
their graves, where we gathered some flowers from the 
tomb of this hero and heroine of romance, and re- 
turned on board ship quite pleased with our little jaunt. 
Here also we entertained many visitors on board. One 
striking beauty among our young lady visitors was a 
Parsee wearing in her nose a magnificent diamond. Her 
father, who accompanied her, was a fine-looking man, 
wearing a spotless turban of white on his close-shaved 
head, and his entire costume a revelation of neatness. He 
was said to be worth millions of pounds sterling. The 
island of Mauritius is remarkable for its rich production of 
spices, among the most beautiful of which is the nutmeg 
tree, growing very much in size and shape Hke an apple 
tree. The nut is enclosed in a covering similar to the 
hickory nut, and when ripe cracks open in the same man- 



62 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

ner, showing the mace of commerce Avrapped around an 
inner shell which encloses the nutmeg. We procured 
many specimens in their half-ripe state and brought them 
home in alcohol as beautiful curios. 

Our next port was the very interesting Island of Cey- 
lon. Before reaching the island some amusing incidents 
occurred on board ship. While far at sea, almost out of 
sight of land, we were boarded by small boats, conveying 
merchants of precious stones and gems. Many of these 
were frauds and cheats no doubt manufactured of glass. 
The junior officers invested largely, especially my friend 
Bennett (I will not say how many I purchased), but I was 
one of the fortunate ones, for among my stones was found 
a moss agate with an exquisite fossil fern in it, which was 
beautiful and much admired; but some of the juniors no 
doubt proved the truth of the old adage, "all is not gold 
that glitters." 

After arriving in port, ready for pleasure of every kind, 
Bennett and I visited the hotel, which was kept in fine 
English style, and had to lunch with us an enthusiastic 
native of pleasant manner and deportment. He suggested 
a drive out to the cinnamon gardens. We ordered a con- 
veyance and invited him to join us. He proved a very 
good guide, and pointed out to us the various beauties of 
the drive. One striking feature was a grove of cocoanut 
trees through which we drove for more than a mile. Un- 
der these trees were built numerous cabins or huts, built 
of the cocoanut tree. He told us that the native who 
owned such a grove was considered rich. He at once pos- 
sessed everything needed for comfort. The tree was his 
building material; the hull of the nut supplied his cooking 
and household utensils; the oil was the light for burning; 
the fruit itself eaten in every stage, and the milk his 
draught. His chairs or seats were made from the tree and 
his roof thatched with the leaves. Then what a delicious 
food the nut. Upon reaching the cinnamon gardens we 
passed through walks bordered by the fragrant shrub from 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 53 

which the cinnamon bark is gathered for commerce. In 
these beautiful gardens were many rare plants of the trop- 
ics, and through memory ran the old strain of the grand 
missionary hymn of the English Church so frequently 
sung at home, 

"What though spicy breezes 
Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle; 
Though every prospect pleases, 
And only man is vile." 

We spent here a most delightful afternoon, and only 
returned to our ship with the setting of the sun. Our 
new friend, the guide, had evidently taken a fancy to us 
and cordially invited us to join him in a shooting excur- 
sion, stating that English snipe were to be found in great 
numbers on the marshes of fresh water along the quiet 
little streams. On an appointed day we met him on shore, 
fully equipped for a shooting bout. Getting into a com- 
fortable conveyance we drove a little distance into the 
interior, and upon reaching a beautiful fresh water stream 
we found prepared for us a "float," being two dugout 
canoes attached to each other, with a cocoanut thatched 
roof overhead to protect us from the sun, a platform upon 
which were placed chairs for us to be seated, a table upon 
which was a decanter of arack (a native drink), and a 
bunch of bananas hanging from the roof. A couple of 
Indian boys on hand paddled our craft while we shot the 
numerous water fowl as we floated down the stream. This 
was Oriental pastime in true Oriental style ! On reaching 
the flats for snipe shooting we put our boats to the shore 
and landed. We found snipe in plenty, had fine sport 
shooting, and carried a feast to our messmates. This day's 
hunt proving so successful, it was suggested by our new 
friend that we take an elephant hunt with him, but the 
preparation for this, and the distance to be traveled so far, 
and our time so limited, we could not enjoy so great a 
diversion, and most reluctantly had to forego the pleasure. 



64 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

We witnessed in this port, however, the remarkable use of 
the elephant as a beast of burden in loading and unloading 
the shipping, taking the place of our portable steam engine. 
It was truly wonderful to see the intelligence of these enor- 
mous creatures, and very amusing, too. As the bell rung 
to cease work for dinner each elephant would stop instanter 
and wait to be led off to his own dinner. Among the 
curios I picked up at this port were two elephants carved 
out of ebony. 

I never see an elephant without being reminded of an 
incident of my early boyhood, showing the viciousness of 
the beast. In those days of ''long ago" the "old John 
Robinson Shows," as they were called, went through the 
country on foot, taking the public road. We as children 
went wild with delight. I had a schoolfellow and play- 
mate named James Pepper, a very mischievous youngster. 
We "took in" the circus together. The keeper allowed 
us, under his chaperonage, to inspect "Tip," the huge ele- 
phant, very closely, for of course with boyish curiosity we 
were greatly interested in him. We made friends with 
Tip by giving him apples, peanuts, or anything to please 
him. But James on the sly gave him an oyster shell, which 
was not much to his taste ! The next day we went again 
to the circus, and no sooner did Tip spy my friend James 
than he made at him with a snort of revengeful anger hor- 
rible to witness, and but for the timely interference of the 
keeper would no doubt have killed him on the spot ! The 
keeper in great alarm roared, "Boy, what have you done 
to Tip?" The culprit had to acknowledge his mischief, 
and was charged "never to go to another circus to which 
Tip was attached, for Tip would never forget or forgive 
him." This little incident has been told my own children, 
with the moral, "Never to be unkind to dumb creatures," 
making my playmate's name a household word. I am 
glad to say when I heard last of James Pepper he was a 
highly respected deacon in the Presbyterian Church, with 
all the mischief of his childhood flown with those early 
days. 



^/^ 



Chapter IX 

From Ceylon we set sail, or rather steamed, to the 
Island of Penang, at the entrance of the Straits of Sumatra. 
This island, like Ceylon, is under the British flag, and here 
we met the hearty English welcome. 

We remained here only a few days, but long enough 
for a party of us to accept an invitation from our consul to 
visit him and spend the night at his bungalow on the hills, 
several hundred feet above the town. After landing we 
were first taken in conveyances pecuHar to the island, 
drawn by small but tough little horses, to the foot of the 
hills, when leaving the conveyances we were comfortably 
mounted on the backs of similar small horses and ascended 
a steep and rugged path. Our steeds were as sure-footed 
as goats, and bore us safely up the ascent. Upon reach- 
ing the bungalow we had presented to us a scene of luxury 
and comfort only to be appreciated in the hot and sultry 
clime of the East Indies. The house was a low, rambhng 
structure, with spacious halls and verandas, with every 
conceivable form of easy chair, lounges, etc., made of 
bamboo and rattan. The grounds surrounding the house 
were most beautifully laid out by a tasteful landscape gar- 
dener, and filled with rare and handsome shrubs and plants. 
The atmosphere was pure and bracing, entirely different 
from the sultry breezes below, where our ship lay in port, 
. and from which we had been glad to escape for a few 
hours. It was a refreshing, restful night of enjoyment. 
jf^/The breakfast next morning was unsurpassed for Eastern 
. iuxury. The delicious fresh currie served up hot and 
' steaming in all its perfection, the coffee faultless, and all 
,.:the fruits of the tropics to feast the eye for beauty and 
';,add zest to the appetite. The currie here prepared is a very 



66 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

different article, eaten fresh, from the powder we use at 
home as a condiment for dressing up our stews, and must 
be eaten in the East Indies to be appreciated. After 
breakfast our ponies were brought to the door and we left 
the hospitable bungalow. By noon we were again on 
board the ship. Remaining in this port but a day or two 
longer, w^e proceeded on our course to the port of Singa- 
pore, situated at the extreme point of the Peninsula of 
Malacca. This ])ort is largely occupied by English mer- 
chants, Avho have their residences and grounds beautifully 
decorated. They were always ready to entertain with lav- 
ish hospitality. 

On visiting the shore we noticed the stuffed skins of the 
tiger, famous on this peninsula for their destruction of the 
natives, and indeed of all persons who venture beyond the 
thickly-settled towns and villages. He is called the "man- 
eating tiger," and is a great terror to all. The city of 
Singapore is one of great importance as the trading place 
of the islands of the Malay Archipelago. Being a free 
port, the shipping of all the East center there in large 
numbers, while the trade of China makes an annual visit, 
coming down the China Sea with the northeast monsoon, 
laying up their junks at Singapore during the continu- 
ance of that wind, and returning home with the southwest 
monsoon. The jungles of this peninsula are of dense 
growth and inhabited by the most ferocious beasts. As 
a sort of compensation of Nature their birds are very beau- 
tiful, with brilliant, gorgeous plumage. I purchased here 
some rare specimens, ready for the taxidermist's hand. 
Among the great variety were two grand birds of paradise 
and the rarer "harp bird." These birds I had mounted 
and very handsomely set up in glass cases in New York. 
They adorned my home till in the fortunes of war they fell 
into vandal hands and were wantonly destroyed. We also 
procured here some handsome specimens of "Malacca 
joint," so highly prized as walking canes. Even at the 
date of which I write the predominance of Chinese trades- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 57 

men was very marked in this port. The climate of Singa- 
pore is very salubrious, the thermometer seldom rising 
above 85 degrees in summer or lower than 70 degrees in 
winter. The foliage of course is beautiful, for there Na- 
ture wears a garb of evergreen. 

From Singapore we sailed for Hong Kong. One re- 
markable feature of some of these Eastern seas are the 
schools of snakes through which ships pass. We arrived at 
Hong Kong, where we met some of our naval vessels, and 
Commodore Aulick took formal command of the East 
India Squadron. Here again we greeted the English flag, 
the emblem of that great power and nation of which it is 
truly said "the sun never sets on its dominions." We had 
now sailed over half the circumference of the globe, and 
after leaving Cape Town every port we entered was a col- 
ony of Great Britain. This Island of Hong Kong was ceded 
to Great Britain by the treaty of Canton in 1841 or 1842, 
and it was indeed a great acquisition, as it gave to England 
a foothold on the very coast of China, possessing a fine 
harbor, and where she has quartered a fine garrison. The 
climate is very healthy for this latitude, owing to its being 
a very rocky and barren soil, entirely surrounded by salt 
water. The body of the water of the Canton River (of which 
it forms the eastern entrance) passes to the westward along 
the shores of Macao. This port of Hong Kong was a gay 
and pleasant place to visit. There many English families be- 
longing to the garrison resided; also some of the families 
of American merchants located there. These were all 
very hospitable and entertained us handsomely. My first 
acquaintance with "pigeon English" was a note of invita- 
tion from one of the American ladies to "tiffin," which 
translated into our language means a sumptuous luncheon. 
We also attended here a grand military ball given by the 
officers of the garrison. After the festivities of the even- 
ing were over and the dancing thoroughly enjoyed the 
departing guests were served with a cup of hot beef tea. 
This was a novelty to us, but the most refreshing beverage 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 



after the weariness consequent upon the evening's enjoy- 
ment that I ever drank, and I found one did not have to /' ^ 
be an invalid to appreciate it. / 

From Hong Kong we crossed over to Macao. This ^ 
peninsula was donated to the Portuguese in the sixteenth^ 
century for assistance given by that nation to the Chinesei 
against pirates, who infested the seas in that section, ancF. 
do more or less to the present day. The harbor is aif- 
open roadstead for large shipping. The trading, howeverlu-i'vy. 
was not very much here, for the advantages offered bfJt;^V|:.ji 
Hong Kong were greater. The city of Macao is one oFfillv^T; 
the oldest foreign settlements in China, and presents some/'^ ' 
unique specimens of architecture in residences and public "^^ '; 
buildings, while the grounds show taste and culture. Therfe| ] 
is just out of the limits of the city a beautiful grotto wherfe!^ 
the Poet Camoens is said to have written his "Lusiad,"^ "*•*■. 
and the spot is beautiful enough to have inspired a poet's|r ,'^^' 
pen. After remaining a week or more in this harbor we I, " * J 
went up the Canton River as high as Blenheim Reach, the '^/.v-fl 
highest point of anchorage that our ship's draught of water 'i'W'| 
would admit of our going. We passed by the Canton O^i 
forts, more remarkable for their extent than the strength ^f^'\ 
of their fortifications. During the war between England 
and China the heaviest of the English ships anchored in 
Blenheim Reach to operate against the city of Canton, 
which is about eight miles from this place. On the shores 
of Blenheim Reach is built up a village of some extent, the 
houses of which are constructed entirely of bamboo canes. 
The bamboo grows here in great abundance and to great 
size. We visited the city of Canton in boats, but were 
always armed, on account of the river pirates, bold 
and daring, and often dangerous. Although it is an old 
and hackneyed story about China, it is nevertheless a true 
and interesting one in regard to their duck boats. The 
peculiar fittings or appliances for lowering down the plat- 
forms for the ducks to descend into the water for feeding 
purposes, at which they perform many pranks as they 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 59 

hasten to the shore along the shoal for food. Thus they 
are kept moving along the river to the most desirable feed- 
ing grounds, constantly changing from day to day. These 
creatures of the feathered tribe are so trained as to know 
the whistle of their own boat, upon the sound of which 
they ascend as rapidly as they descended, but with a differ- 
ent motive power influencing them, for the last one that 
crosses the bridge or platform gets a sound thrashing! 
The duck is indeed a feature of China. Hatched and bred 
in great quantities on these boats, having free feeding 
grounds, they are a great source of revenue to their own- 
ers, and are a prominent feature in all the eating shops 
(which are numerous), baked and hung up to be served 
out as the purchaser desires. 

As we approached the great city of Canton both sides 
of the river were lined with boats on which large families 
of people are reared and have been for generations back, 
who never go on shore except for special purposes, such 
as marketing, attending worship in their temples, or bury- 
ing their dead. These boats are of small dimensions and 
are kept scrupulously clean, and necessarily the scrubbing 
day comes round very often, when the children are thrown 
overboard and given a buoy to float upon until the scrub- 
bing is over and the home in order again. 

The tea boats present a striking appearance in their gay 
coloring and gaudy decorations. These boats are an- 
chored of¥ in the center of the stream or at convenient 
points along the river. To these boats the populace 
resort in great numbers for quaf^ng their national bever- 
age, as their more civilized contemporaries would frequent 
saloons or club-rooms. We landed in that part of the city 
where are built the residences of European merchants, 
many of them very comfortable. The men who occupy 
them supply the world with tea. The best-paid men in 
this trade are the tea-tasters, who select, classify, and price 
the teas for the various markets. As we pass these build- 
ings and enter the Chinese part of the city the streets are 



00 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

narrow and paved. The merchants show their goods in 
the doorways of their shops or on the sidewalks to desig- 
nate their occupation. The streets are filled with vendors 
of all conceivable wares. It was by no means rare to see 
puppies and cats in cages, hung at either end of a pole 
over the shoulder of the carrier, as unconcernedly as chick- 
ens or game would be hawked about the streets of Ameri- 
can towns. 

The fish shops of China are interesting from the great 
variety they display. They do not sell oysters fresh (or 
did not on that day). They kiln-dried them on scaffolds 
and then packed them away in the dried state for future 
use, thereby depriving the bivalve and the consumer of its 
most tempting properties, hence they were not appreciated 
by oyster-eating Americans. 



Chapter X 

We visited with a great deal of interest and pleasure 
the crockery stores, with a view to purchasing some of the 
beautiful wares. The fmest china is, of course, hand- 
painted, no two pieces alike, having landscapes of their 
own country, exclusively, in the center (with strange want 
of perspective), with very handsome borders of birds, 
insects, butterflies and flowers. It is very rich and showy, 
their coloring being always intense, and a table set with 
china of this description is very striking and beautiful. In 
making a selection there are no regular sets for breakfast, 
.dinner, and tea, but you are at liberty to select what pleases 
your own fancy, thus making up your own sets. The 
breakfast set of which I made choice was the very old-fash- 
ioned historic willow china in blue, to which is attached 
a very romantic legend. The legend runs: "A Chinese 
princess escapes from a window which overhangs the 
water on whose shores the willows grow and thrive, throw- 
ing their graceful shadows on the stream on whose placid 
waters she floats away from her home with a plebeian lover, 
with woman's trust and faith, and 'the love that laughs 
at locksmiths.' " The plates and dishes are double and 
deep, with a little orifice for pouring in hot water to keep 
the breakfast delightfully hot while eating it. 

I toolc the opportunity of purchasing a very handsome 
Chinese punch bowl for my esteemed friend Judge Berrien, 
which I had the pleasure of sending him on my return 
home, and received from him a very beautiful letter of 
thanks and appreciation. I also purchased a very full and 
handsome set of china — dinner and tea — which is still in 
use in my family, having been buried during the war for 
safe keeping! When making the selection of the blue 



63 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

breakfast china the salesman or merchant surprised me by- 
putting- one of the dishes on the floor and jumping 
with his wooden clogs upon it to prove its strength, pre- 
senting a laughable appearance to us who stood by. They 
proved as strong as he asserted, and half a dozen are 
still in existence after many years' service. Having made 
our purchases we sought the hotel in search of a 
dinner, which was served with a variety of dishes, 
very Chinese in appearance, being mostly hashes, but 
very palatable. One in particular had such very small 
bones that we accused the waiter with serving us up a 
"rat stew." At this he was very indignant, and angrily 
protested, "Chinaman no eat rat; none 'cept poor China- 
man, low-down Chinaman." The cat and puppy dishes, 
however, he did not deny; said they "were good, but no 
serve Mellican man 'cept he want 'em !" 

Had I been served with a "rat stew" it would have been 
a "righteous retribution" on me for one of the froHcs of 
my early boyhood ! Our old carriage driver, "Daddy 
Jim," my father's body servant, who used to drive him in 
his gig as he went the rounds of the courts on his circuit, 
was also a very fancy cook, and loved his own dishes. He 
was very devoted to his young master and would some- 
times save choice morsels for me from his supper the night 
before. When I went hunting I would bring him in rab- 
bit or squirrel, as my game might chance to be; but one 
day, in a spirit of mischief and fun, I played a dreadful 
trick on him. The rats that infested the rice barn and fed 
on the rice were very large and fat. I shot two or three 
of them and prepared them invitingly for the pot or sauce- 
pan, curtailing their suspicious tails, and they looked for 
all the world like squirrels. I presented them to "Daddy 
Jim" for his supper; he was delighted, said "he would cook 
them nice, and save one for my breakfast." The next 
morning the old man smacked his lips and told me how 
good and juicy they were, and he would bring mine to me. 
I laughed and said, "Daddy Jim, I fooled )'Ou; they were 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 63 

barn rats." Such a look of disgust and nausea came over 
his face, and he shamed me so that I had to run out of his 
way, but he soon forgave me, with his big and loving heart, 
and to the day of his death was fond and faithful. Peace 
to his memory! 

The American merchants in China invited us to their 
houses, and we were pleased at the opportunity offered us 
of witnessing the mode of classifying the teas by the 
tea-tasters. They would place a sample of each kind 
of tea in cups, pour on the boiling water, cover 
closely, and allow it to draw for a few minutes only, 
when they would be able to distinguish by their expe- 
rienced taste the exact quality of the tea and deter- 
mine the markets to which they should go. My sec- 
ond visit to the city was devoted to the purchase of silks 
and dress goods, including beautiful Canton crape shawls, 
rich in color and exquisite in embroidery. There were 
also in this market lovely dress goods made of the fibre 
of the pineapple, called "penia cloth." Of this fine fabric 
handkerchiefs and various things were made, and the em- 
broidery on them was marvelous for its intricate needle- 
work. Our collections, of course, were only meant for 
gifts upon our return home as mementoes to our families 
and friends of our sojourn in these distant lands. I must 
not forget to mention their hand-carved ivory chessmen 
and sets of backgammon and the unsurpassed lacquer ware 
in all designs. Upon this lacquer are represented usually 
their national emblems, the stork and the turtle. 

While at anchor in the Blenheim Reach we were visited 
by an American colporteur, an intelHgent man, who ap- 
peared earnest in his work of disseminating the Gospel and 
teachings of religion in the form of tracts translated into 
their language. Through his representation of the beauty 
of the country and small villages my friend, Dr. Charles F. 
Fahs, assistant surgeon of the ship, and myself were in- 
duced to accompany him on one of his trips. 



64 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Getting^ in one of the ship's boats for the trip, we were 
landed at a point on the river, and taking the embankment 
which was thrown up as a foot-path through the marsh we 
passed through Httle hamlets dotted over this marsh of 
luxurious growth. After reaching the third hamlet we 
approached rather a large building with a single hall. This 
the colporteur pointed out to us as one of their "ancestral 
halls," where their children were taught. The doors being 
open and the building unoccupied at the time, we took the 
liberty of going in, and were remarking on some charac- 
ters on the wall when a querulous old Chinaman entered 
and asked our business there. The colporteur, who spoke 
Chinese, replied that we were admiring their ancient build- 
ing and the characters on the walls. It was easy to see it 
was his intention to dispute our right to be there, and his 
loud talking soon drew other Chinamen, and in a few min- 
utes the hall was filled with an excited crowd. Our 
acquaintance, the colporteur, had his patience and endur- 
ance put to the test. Never losing his patience or temper, 
he replied to all they said with coolness and decision. The 
doctor and I being only "'lookers on" saw that a serious 
row was pending, though we did not know exactly what 
we had done to bring it about. The colporteur suggested 
(in an aside to us) that we take our departure with all the 
coolness and indifference we could assume, as any appear- 
ance of fear might lead to our being murdered by them, 
and I verily think it would ! We withdrew, leisurely ob- 
serving the beauty of the streets and the quaintness of the 
buildings we passed till we reached the outskirts of the 
village, when the colporteur begged that we accelerate our 
pace, as he said had one of those infuriated people thrown 
a stone at us we would not have escaped with our lives; so 
we made "double-quick" time back to the landing and 
made signal for our boat, greatly relieved to reach the ship 
in safety, and unstoned. We could not go with the good 
man again on his rounds, not being willing to extend his 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 65 

good work or even to "take the Kingdom of Heaven by 
violence," at least the violence of a Chinese heathen mob ! 
We had now remained several weeks in Blenheim 
Reach, and many of our men were taken down with fever. 
The weather was intensely hot, especially the nights. All 
hands were seeking the spar deck, where only the awning 
kept off the night air, and with a Chinese mat to lie upon, 
and a bamboo pillow, we passed the nights in search of 
comfort, regardless of health. The surgeon advised that 
the ship be taken down to salt water, which was done as a 
health motive. We steamed down to Hong Kong, our 
former anchorage, where we greatly enjoyed the sea 
breezes. Our next move was to Shanghai, higher up the 
coast some hundred miles, situated on the Woosing River, 
about fourteen miles from the sea. This city is one of the 
important entrepot of the commerce between the north and 
south provinces of China. It also carried on quite an im- 
portant foreign trade. Many of the foreign missions were 
established here. The Episcopal Bishop of China, Rev. 
Dr. Boone, resided here, and I found in his lovely wife a 
typical Southern woman, a sister of the beloved bishop of 
my native State, Rt. Rev. Stephen ElHott. I was quite 
an invalid from the enervating climate, and they kindly 
invited me to become an inmate of their home till my 
health should be restored. Bishop Boone had studied 
medicine to aid him in his missionary work. He advised 
me to put aside all nauseous drugs and trust to the change 
to home life. There I enjoyed the nice Southern dishes 
and everything was done for my comfort. My enjoyment 
of their true Southern hospitality soon recruited my 
health. Bishop Boone was an ardent laborer in his chosen 
work. He established a very successful mission school, 
and his long study of the Chinese language and character 
eminently fitted him for his life-work. The mission and 
foreign residences were situated outside the city, on the 
banks of a river, in a beautiful grove. The city of Shang- 
hai is a walled city with narrow streets not remarkable for 

5 



66 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

cleanliness, but in keeping with all other Chinese towns I 
have ever visited. At this time the city was in possession 
of the Taiping Wang party, insurgents against the Impe- 
rial Government. This party was commanded by a dash- 
ing young general, who took a fancy to the officers of our 
ship. I was one of a large party invited by him to go over 
the city sight-seeing. Among this party was my old 
friend Lieutenant George H. Cooper, or, as he was known 
to his intimates, "J^ck Cooper." Jack had with him a 
favorite little Scotch terrier named "J^'''*y-" Jerry was 
his master's shadow, and was at his heels on this "sight- 
seeing" trip. In passing through the narrow streets and 
seeing, as Jerry no doubt thought, the most outlandish 
sights and people he had ever seen, he got separated from 
us (or perhaps he was enticed away, with a view to mak- 
ing a stew of him, — as he was fat and fine, — by some 
hungry Chinaman). The commander-in-chief offered a 
large reward for Jerry, but he could not be found at that 
time. After the return of the squadron to the United 
States, Lieutenant Cooper was walking in the streets of 
Norfolk one day, when Jerry came running up to him with 
expressions of glad recognition and delight. It was ascer- 
tained that the Chinese general, true to his promise, had 
looked up Jerry and put him in the charge of a friend of 
Lieutenant Cooper, who brought him safely home in the 
next ship returning to the United States. 

While in Shanghai we were invited by the American Con- 
sul to a tea-party at his residence, where we were served 
with several varieties of tea. Among these teas was one 
of peculiar value, bringing five dollars per pound in that 
market. Not knowing this, we gave preference to a very 
ordinary tea, costing there from twenty to thirty cents per 
pound. This fact perhaps proved that the cheaper tea w^as 
the tea to which w^e were most accustomed in America, 
and that the finer quality of tea needed to have one's palate 
cultivated to appreciation of it. 



I 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 67 

The commodore having Mr. McLane, U. S. Minister 
to China, on board, gathered all the information he could 
in regard to reaching the cit}^ of Nankin, which was then 
occupied by the Taiping Wang party, and the residence 
of Taiping Wang himself, with whom Mr. McLane had 
instructions from our Government to establish a commer- 
cial treaty. Having no chart of the river the commodore 
chartered a light draught, but powerful, river steamer to 
go ahead of our ship and take soundings as we proceeded 
up the river. We left Shanghai with the little steamer 
ahead of us with a good leadsman, and one of our ofificers 
in charge, and thus made our way up the Yangtse Kiang, 
or Yellow River, a bold and navigable stream. We found 
no difficulty in the depth of water, and went up to the city 
of Nankin, some ninety miles distant, passing through a 
rich and fertile valley properly termed the Granary of 
China. All of this section of the country was then in the 
possession of the revolutionists, or "Taiping Wang" party. 
As we approached the city we were boarded by an officer 
from one of their vessels of war to ascertain our mission 
and the cause of our presence there. Upon being informed 
that we had the American Minister on board we were 
allowed to pass without detention, and came to anchor 
off the city. Here we were again visited by officials, but 
Mr. McLane failed to obtain an interview or in any way 
to effect a treaty with the insurgents in power. Taiping 
Wang was educated at the mission school in Shanghai, 
and there obtained sujfficient knowledge of the Christian 
rehgion to pervert it! He boldly claimed to be the 
younger brother of Jesus Christ. He was without doubt 
a man of strength and power in his way, and influenced 
his people to proclaim him a divine being, and to worship 
him as such. This fanaticism spread like wildfire over the 
southern part of the Chinese Empire. He took up his 
quarters with great wisdom at Nankin, the capital of the 
old Wing Dynasty, and the center of the Granary of China. 
His adherents filled the valley of the Yangtse Kiang. One 



68 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

of his most binding obligations on his soldiers was that 
they should absent themselves from their families and live 
separated till his dynasty was established. 

This was the condition of affairs when we visited Nan- 
kin, and Mr. McLane failing to obtain an interview or 
efifect a treaty, the ofificers were allowed to visit the shore. 
During our stay many of their high of^cials "dined and 
wined" with us. They claimed the brotherhood of Chris- 
tians, and observed strictly the asking of a blessing before 
meals, and other religious rites. This friendly intercourse 
was certainly most fortunate for us, as the little episode I 
will relate will prove. 

One beautiful morning Dr. Fahs, Midshipman Hawley, 
and I, viewing the far-famed Porcelain Tower from a dis- 
tance, and obtaining permission to leave the ship, armed 
only with umbrellas, taking with us our Chinese servant 
boy as interpreter, made the best of our way in the direc- 
tion of the tower, bent on a visit to it. The tower is out- 
side of the walls and west of the city. We attempted to 
shorten our walk by entering the gates and passing 
through the city, but to our surprise and chagrin we were 
accosted by a Chinese soldier who forbade our doing so! 
We were determined not to be discouraged by this rebufif, 
and followed the walls on the outside and made an attempt 
to enter at the next gate. Failing in this as we did in 
our first attempt, we decided to walk outside around the 
city till we reached the tower. Hoisting our umbrellas 
we started off at a quick pace, knowing the great distance 
we had to traverse. On the way we would occasionally 
pass a Chinese hut or cottage, and apparently alarm the 
occupants, but explaining through our interpreter that we 
were only harmless tourists desirous of seeing the tower, 
some would generously offer us a cup of tea, which they 
always had on the little charcoal fire, and which was used 
without sugar or milk. These little cups of tea were ex- 
ceedingly refreshing; drank hot. they no doubt did us 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 69 

more good than a draught of cold water would have done, 
and acted more beneficially upon our weariness. 

After a long morning's walk we approached the object 
of our desire. We beheld the grand tower looming up 
high above everything else and situated outside the city 
walls, but enclosed in a wall of its own, with a village at its 
base. As we approached the gate we noticed a formidable 
looking little field piece protruding through a porthole 
just over the gateway. To our delight there was apparently 
no sentinel on post, and we boldly entered. We had 
passed some distance up the street, which was wide and 
nicely paved, before the inhabitants of the village discov- 
ered us. When they did, such surprise, such jabbering 
and gesticulating as was carried on by these natives is 
more easily imagined than described ! However, we took 
little notice of them, being bent upon our visit to the tower, 
the base of which was now plainly visible. After scramb- 
ling over rocks and the mutilated parts of this grand struc- 
ture we entered the defaced portal and witnessed the dese- 
cration that had been worked by fire and chisel in the 
hands of the vandal insurgents, professing to be earnest 
followers of the younger brother of Our Saviour. 

The grand stairway that had led to the summit of this 
tower had been burned out, leaving only the shell. The 
sculpture in bas-rehef ornamenting the base of the build- 
ing and representing their gods were special objects of 
disfavor, the Christians — as they called themselves — 
claiming it to be idolatrous, had destroyed them effectu- 
ally. We procured many of the broken fragments as 
specimens, among which was the remarkable porcelain, 
highly glazed and green in color, which had resisted the 
action of atmosphere and weather for centuries, the tower 
having been built in 141 1. It was octagonal, about 260 
feet high, nine stories of equal height, each decorated with 
cornice and covered with roof of green tiling, the roof 
overhanging, as do all Chinese roofs of temples and public 
buildino^s. On the corners of each roof were bells which 



70 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

swayed and rang out sweetly with every passing breeze. 
The pinnacle of the tower was ornamented with a large 
golden ball. We were told that the interior had contained 
apartments of great beauty, elaborately gilded and other- 
wise ornamented, but the fire fiend had done its work 
before our visit. We could only imagine what its beauty 
had been, and deplore the fanaticism that could destroy 
such grandeur. I believe I have not mentioned its pecu- 
liar name, which rendered into English means "Recom- 
pensing Favor Monastery." Its cost is said to have been 
$4,000,000. 

The staring crowd now began to surround us in such 
numbers that our Chinese boy told us they were getting 
very much incensed and excited, and urged our leaving. 
We told him to ask the most prominent member of the 
mob if he objected to our taking the broken specimens 
we had, and we began to throw them down; but he said 
"it was not that at all, we might take all we wished, but 
we had no business there." We then said we would leave 
at once, and began retracing our steps to the broad street 
and towards the gate through which we had entered. We 
were followed by an immense crowd, gesticulating vio- 
lently and wildly jabbering, as only a Chinese rabble can, 
but we took no notice of it. In a few minutes, to our sur- 
prise and annoyance, we saw a company of lancers form 
themselves across the street to stop our further progress. 
As we approached, the company dropped their lances in 
our very faces, and the commanding officer drew his 
double swords and went through some contortions of the 
body and cuttings and slashings of swords peculiar only 
to Chinese warfare. We determined not to be intimi- 
dated by this demonstration, and quietly took our umbrel- 
las and shoved the lances one side. This so nonplused 
the of^cer that he instantly ordered the gates closed. 

We were at our wits' end to know what to do next ! We 
saw them rush to close in upon us, and bringing our poor 
frightened interpreter to the front w^e demanded that they 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 71 

"open the gates, as we must be on board our ship at a cer- 
tain hour; that we were in no way violating their laws, com- 
ing ashore only to see their grand tower." The officer re- 
plied he had "orders to stop us, but he would take us to the 
commanding officer of the village." He thereupon es- 
corted us to a formidable structure, where he said that 
officer "held his court." As we entered through a court- 
yard we were no little shocked to see the bloody heads of 
several unfortunate Chinamen hung up in cages or baskets 
around this court, a glance at which completely demor- 
alized our Chinese boy. His transition was horrible. His 
hair seemed to stand up on his head, his eyes became sud- 
denly bloodshot, and he presented a most pitiable object 
of fright and despair. 

From this courtyard we were introduced into a large 
hall in which was an elevated platform with benches 
around it, upon which we were told to "be seated," to 
await the coming of the official. The long delay in his 
coming seemed to be studied to impress us the more with 
the gravity of the situation. At last he made his appear- 
ance, and it was so grotesque as almost to make us laugh 
outright. He was a large, finely-built Chinaman, with a 
flowing robe on him of rich blue silk, and upon his head he 
wore a helmet, and on top of the helmet was a good-sized 
paper or pasteboard gilded horse. Doubtless this was to 
designate him as belonging to the cavalry! Before enter- 
ing into any explanation he required his secretary, who 
accompanied him, to write in a book describing the per- 
sonal appearance of each one of us. We were thoroughly 
worn out with this delay, and growing very impatient. We 
required our boy to tell him "we were compelled to be on 
board our ship at sunset." This did not seem to hurry 
matters at all. His faithful secretary continued industri- 
ously "writing us up." After a little we suggested that 
"he would have to furnish horses for our return." He con- 
descended to reply that "there were no horses at hand," 
but preserved a very dignified and commanding attitude 



72 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

towards us. After his secretary got through he informed 
us "that he would send us through the city to be inter- 
viewed by the Eastern King," whom we learned afterwards 
filled the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. He said 
he would send an officer to conduct us to the king. We 
were pleased at this suggestion, as we thought we would 
accomplish another wish we had, to see the interior of the 
the city. We bowed ourselves out of his presence, left, and 
soon after entered the city gates. We were impressed with 
the cleanliness of the streets and the superiority of the 
buildings to most of the Chinese cities we had seen. We 
found that this portion of the city was the residence of roy- 
alty during the Wing dynasty and separated from the rest 
of the city by a wall. It was now occupied exclusively by 
women separated from their husbands by the vows they 
had taken before enlisting for the war. The rush of these 
creatures to examine the "outside barbarians," and their 
scrutiny of our clothes, the quality and quantity and bright- 
ness of our buttons, came nearer demoralizing us than the 
brandishing swords of the captain of the lancers. The 
noisy jabbering of these women was really fearful, and we 
dared not show the "white feather," for it is well known 
that any show of fear is fatal to one who falls into their 
uncivilized hands. Upon having the gates closed upon us 
and separating us from these women we drew a long breath 
of relief ! Under the guidance of our official escort we 
wended our way to the residence of the Eastern King. 
After walking for some distance through the business part 
of the city we were brought to a halt before a building more 
pretentious than the surrounding ones. Our escort now 
attempted to give us instructions through our interpreter 
as to how we must conduct ourselves before "His Royal 
Highness, the Eastern King." The prominent feature of 
this ceremony was that "wc should fall down on our knees 
before him and prostrate ourselves." This we protested 
against, and positively refused to do. We told him "we 
never knelt or prostrated ourselves to any living man; that 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 73 

we only knelt to God; that it was against our religion to 
do this, and if they were Christians they should not do it 
either." At this he became very loud in his demands, said 
we "had to do it; it was a custom and the law of their 
country." We told him "it was no use to argue the mat- 
ter, we would not do it." He considered a moment, and 
then said "he would take us before a high mandarin in 
another section of the city." We started at once for the resi- 
dence of the mandarin. As we went we noticed a dense 
crowd ahead of us, and on nearing them saw the uniforms 
of some of our brother officers from the ship in like trouble 
with ourselves, having been arrested as trespassers for en- 
tering the city. They, too, had started for the tower, but 
we being ahead had aroused the Chinese to a more vigilant 
watch, and it had caused them to be taken in charge much 
sooner. Among this party was T. T. Hunter, second lieu- 
tenant of the ship, a fine specimen of a naval officer. Tall 
and commanding in person, demonstrative in action. Hun- 
ter received us with open arms, verifying and so expressing 
himself the old adage that "misery loves company." 

Minister McLane's secretary and three or four others 
formed the party. We now joined company for the man- 
darin's residence, and upon being ushered into his presence 
recognized the jolly old Chinaman who had dined with us 
on the ship two days before. He was dehghted to see us, 
and we were most assuredly relieved to see him. He in- 
sisted upon our remaining with him till he could order a 
feast for our entertainment. It was growing dark, and 
thanking him for his kindness we assured him that we had 
been detained so long beyond our time it was our impera- 
tive duty to return to our ship as soon as possible. He 
regretted the inconvenience to which we had been sub- 
jected (we did not mention our fears of losing our heads), 
and ordered his lantern-bearer to see to our safe convey- 
ance beyond the city walls, assuring us that the presence 
of his lantern would be respected by all sentinels on 
duty. This lantern was a transparency which had painted 



74 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

on it his crest, or coat of arms, and rank. We found it 
absolutely true — the gates flew open on the approach of the 
lantern-bearer in "open sesame" style. We had now been 
taken from the opposite side straight through the city, and 
found ourselves at no great distance from the ship, with an 
open roadway. We hailed the ship for a boat, which was 
sent, and about 12 o'clock at night we arrived in safety and 
reported our fatiguing and harassing day, including our 
"hair breadth" escape from execution. 



Chapter XI 

The following day the Chinese Government sent an 
officer on board bearing an important looking document 
for the commodore. Said document informed him that "if 
any more of his outside barbarians attempted to enter the 
city they would have their heads chopped off." This 
brought to mind with a shuddering sense of horror the 
butchered heads in cages we had seen in the executioner's 
yard through which we had been carried. The commo- 
dore, however, did not notice this document. With the 
Httle steamer in front of us we now got under way and 
started up the river. We observed our soundings very 
carefully, as we were now going up the river further into 
the interior than any foreign vessel had ever gone. The 
country presented a vast acreage in cultivation, showing 
no waste or unused land. Great activity seemed to prevail 
both on shore and river. Large boats transporting pro- 
duce and goods were numerous, and the fertile valley of 
the Yangtse Kiang, as far as the eye could reach, verified 
the statement of its being the "Granary of China." 

We found a bold river, too, carrying a sufficient depth 
of water to navigate our steam frigate with safety. We 
took the precaution of anchoring at night, and steaming 
cautiously in the wake of the little steamer ahead of us, tak- 
ing soundings as we went. We arrived at quite an ancient 
city, whose name I have forgotten, but whose old pagoda 
had been taken quiet possession of by bats innumerable. 
We came to anchor and were soon surrounded by boats of 
all kinds filled with produce, and a gaping, wonder-struck 
people. In one of the large boats we noticed some don- 
keys. Whether they were meant to be traded to us we 
never learned, so concluded the visit was one of curiosity 



76 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

instead of trade, they being drawn towards us as foreign- 
ers; certainly they had never seen a foreign ship or a foreign 
people before. We gathered from these venders of curios 
many interesting specimens. The commodore having no 
special object in continuing his cruise up the river, we 
weighed anchor and retraced our way, and passing by the 
Cai)ital, where we had been so rudely rebuffed, we pro- 
ceeded to our old anchorage at Shanghai. We spent here 
a week or more, greeted our dear friends at the mission, 
and then sailed, with Mr. McLane still on board, for Hong 
Kong. At this point Mr, McLane landed, and the com- 
modore, after a few days of rest, sailed for Manila, the 
Capital of Luzon, one of the Philippine Islands, On this 
passage Commodore Aulick was taken desperately ill. The 
surgeons of the ship pronounced his case a hopeless one. 
Not so with the commodore himself, however. He had 
the greatest horror of being buried at sea, or on Spanish 
soil. On hearing the verdict of the doctors he gave orders 
Ihat "should he die, his body should be put in a cask of 
whiskey for preservation and carried to English soil for 
interment," for he said he "did not wish his last rest to be 
among the dagos." His will power proved superior to 
his disease, and to the surprise of surgeons and all on board 
the ship he rallied and finally recovered. 

We entered the port of Manila after a pleasant run across 
the China Seas, and were delighted to find ourselves out of 
the reach of China and the "heathen Chinee" with heads 
on and hearts light. The population of Manila is a race of 
Mestizas, a mixture of Spanish and the native Indian — the 
men after the order of the Spanish hidalgo and the women 
as beautiful as the senoritas of old Spain. The city of 
Manila was founded in 1571, and has remained one of the 
most important of the Spanish colonial cities, furnishing 
to the world the famous Manila cheroot and tobacco, and 
the Manila cordage; also the finest fabrics made from the 
pineapple leaf, known as pinea cloth, on which elaborate 
embroideries are exquisitely done; and here are found 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 77 

dainty articles of use and wear and ornament. The trade 
is immense with England and the United States. 

We were very fortunate in making our visit to Manila 
in carnival time. At this season the whole island is given 
over to dancing, cockfig-hting, gaiety and dissipation. 
Upon visiting the shore we were handsomely entertained 
by the officers of the Spanish garrison. My friend Ben- 
nett and I joined a lieutenant of the garrison in a snipe 
hunt on the rice fields, and brought in plenty of game. 
We also had delightful drives in the country. We were 
struck with the love of the natives for cockfighting. 
Every countryman we met held under his arm a cock 
ready for the pit. After our drive we were carried to these 
pits to witness the gambling excitement over these fights, 
almost equalling the bullfights of old Spain. 

From these cruel sports we went visiting. The inhab- 
itants kept open houses, with music and dancing at the 
homes of all the most important families in the city. Of 
course the dancing was a very delightful social pastime to 
us, the young officers of the ship. To return this atten- 
tion and hospitality we gave a dance on board the ship. 
We moved the battery from the quarter deck and deco- 
rated the deck with flags and bunting, making chandeliers 
of bayonets, and covering the deck with an awning we 
had a complete and beautiful ball-room. Here we enter- 
tained the elite of the city of Manila, having the music of 
our fine band, and a feast worthy of the occasion. It was 
an evening of great enjoyment to them and to us. The 
Spanish ladies wore magnificent slippers, many of them 
set with stones of great value, which glistened brilliantly 
on their tiny feet. These slippers without heels were kept 
on the feet by the little toe protruding outside, and in the 
round dances or the waltz in the back step they would 
sometimes lose a slipper, to their great annoyance; but of 
course it was a great amusement to their partner in the 
dance to see them gracefully return, catch the slipper on 
the foot, and continue the waltz as if no such accident had 



78 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

occurred. This ball was the closing scene of our visit. 
Our guests departed after midnight, and the next morn- 
ing, after arranging our decks in man-of-war-style, we set 
sail for the coast of China. 

We arrived at our old anchorage in the harbor of Hong 
Kong, and the commodore's health being sufficiently re- 
stored, he began making preparation for his return to the 
United States. Commodore Matthew C. Perry, we 
learned, was on his way out to take command of the 

/Chinese Squadron. His flagship was the Mississippi, 
under the command of Captain Sidney Smith Lee (brother 
of our gallant General Robert E. Lee). The Mississippi, 
with several other ships, made a squadron of eight vessels, 
including those already out there. Commodore Aulick 
returned by way of Europe. Commodore Perry came out 
in the same way to join the squadron in Hong Kong, to 
make there the necessary preparation to visit Japan as 
Minister Extraordinary. 

These ships coming out to join his squadron brought 
out a miniature locomotive and train of cars, with accom- 
panying rails and all the attachments for running them 
in a circle of about a mile in circumference, to show those 
people who were shut up in their own country what was 
/ going on in the outside world. They also brought out 
' the telegraph, with batteries and the operators, ready to 
put it up as soon as permission was obtained to do so. All 
these wonders to show to a people who for centuries had 
excluded the foreigner from their shores, also thereby 
excluding the marvels and progress of the age. In due 
course of time Commodore Perry arrived, and the various 
ships of his command. All was now active preparation 
for the expedition to Japan. Here we took on board (he 
having obtained permission to join us in the capacity of 
master's mate) the author and poet who has since made 
his name famous, Mr. Bayard Taylor. 

The commodore had secured as interpreter a German, 
who was quite a fine Hnguist; speaking English fluently. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 79 

he did good service as a translator. Some of the Japan- 
ese officials, being conversant with German, would com- 
municate with him in that language, and he would trans- 
late it into English. After completing all arrangements 
we sailed in squadron for the Lew Chew group of islands, 
one of the dependencies of Japan. These islands lie south 
of the Japan group, and are situated ofif the coast of China. 
They are inhabited by a race of people mild in their dispo- 
sition and possessing none of the arts of war in their rude 
state. These people live after the order of the old patri- 
archs, and are among the most pleasant people it has ever 
been my fortune to be thrown among. They are indus- 
trious and cleanly in their habits and provide abundantly 
for their own subsistence. 

We were able to procure from them poultry, pigs and 
vegetables at very moderate prices. The Capital of the 
great Lew Chew is situated a few miles in the interior, and 
a body of our troops, marines and sailors marched up to 
the city, merely to impress them with our strength and 
power. Our forces were pleasantly received, and reported 
their public roads in perfect order and their bridges, of 
arched masonry, artistic and beautiful. Their houses 
were light structures one story high, covered with tiling, 
scrupulously clean, with matting covering the floors, and 
all native visitors were expected to remove their sandals 
before entering the house, and leave them at the door; 
this and many of their customs struck us very agreeably. 
While lying in this port we had the misfortune to lose one 
of our young engineers. It was a very sad death and cast 
a gloom over the entire ship. Our poet. Bayard Taylor, 
commemorated the event by some beautiful lines, which 
I wish I could remember. They were much admired by 
us all. Among these quiet, peaceful people he was laid 
to rest to await the resurrection morning. A stranger in 
a foreign land, among a strange and unknown people, it 
touched us all as a sad and lonely fate ! 



Chapter XII 

On this beautiful island, the great Lew Chew, where 
we had been luxuriating for ten days, there was little or 
nothing to collect in the way of curios or mementos. The 
people were strictly rural, and plain and simple in their 
tastes. We were ordered to weigh anchor, and set sail 
for Japan. In one of my old letters home at that time I 
find myself airing the sentiments of the day in regard to 
the contemplated expedition to Japan, and will here 
insert it : 

Hong Kong, February 22, 1833. 

My Dear Mother: I must at once give you all the information 
we have concerning the great expedition to Japan, which is at present 
of absorbing interest to us. Its merits are largely discussed by all, and 
the most plausible view we can take of the expedition, since we have the 
assurance in the President's Message; it is presumed to be entirely of 
a peaceful nature, taking them presents which will show the improve- 
ments of the age and through our intercourse with them establish a 
friendly feeling, and if possible make a commercial treaty. We learn 
there will be brought out a locomotive with several miles of railroad 
iron, a telegraph apparatus (and operator), also Daguerrean artist with 
"cameras," etc., all of which if they will allow to be explained and 
accept, will no doubt induce them to look upon us in a better light than 
a set of "barbarians," which term they apply to all foreigners. It is 
a part of their religion to admit no innovations. Should they refuse, 
which is most likely, I have yet to learn what right we have to try to 
force them to have intercourse with us. Others argue that Commodore 
Perry will not be put off on any pretence whatever; that he will effect his 
mission peaceably if he can, forcibly if he must; that the United States 
Government has gone to too much expense in fitting out this expedition 
to have it return without making some active demonstration ; but from 
what I have heard of the Japanese we will have no just cause to go 
to war with them. They will no doubt listen quietly to our parley, thank 
us for our good intentions, promise protection to our mariners who may 
be thrown on their coasts, and if we insist upon it accept our presents, 
which will be carefully housed and superstitiously guarded, with a 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 81 

promise to keep them as a lasting memento of our visit, if we but leave 
and promise to return no more. In that case, what are we to do? 
Punch has us caricatured landing an army of missionaries under our 
guns, armed with a Bible in one hand and a revolver in the other; but 
as a gentleman remarked with whom I was talking, "he could find no 
place in the Bible where we were told to do evil that good might come." 
Still, there is no doubt a party in our country — of fanatics— who would 
have us enter in the cause as defenders of the faith, and convert the 
Japanese to Christianity, whether or no ! Japan cannot be conquered 
in a day, neither can they be converted in one generation ; but as the 
car of civilization is now coursing the globe, Japan may ere long fall 
into line and traces ! I am a strong advocate for the purpose of the 
expedition, and believe if properly conducted it will be the beginning 
of intercourse with that people and lead in time to their civilization; 
but of course this will take time and cannot be done in a day, as our 
go-ahead Yankee nation would have it ! If Commodore Perry acts 
prudently, — and as I believe he is instructed to do by our Government, — 
he will not fire a gun to their annoyance ; but after making every exer- 
tion of a peaceful nature to induce them to accede to our proposals, if 
they still hold out and refuse intercourse with us, he will leave their 
coasts without warlike demonstration. I venture to assert that in a very 
few years we will be thrown with them again, having just cause for 
peace or war, for the seas washing their territories is the main thor- 
oughfare of our vessels from China to our Western Coast, which trade 
is increasing yearly as California becomes more settled. In a year or 
two we will have steamers sailing in sight of their coast, which has 
heretofore only been visited by distressed whalers. It is therefore next 
to an impossibility for her to remain alienated with civilization steaming 
along her shores. Should our principle of non-intervention, which we 
claim to hold so dear, be carried out, we may hope to leave Japan this 
coming fall ; otherwise, should we blockade their coasts, we may be 
detained here longer. We therefore look with much anxiety for the 
arrival of the Mississippi, Commodore Perry's flag-ship. The last mail 
brought us news of her having sailed from Norfolk on the twenty- 
fourth of November, so that we may reasonably look for her by the first 
of April. We also had news of the Pozvhatan breaking some part of 
her machinery, which may delay her a couple of months longer. I am 
of opinion that the commodore having left, she will not follow; but it 
is likely the Department will have instructions awaiting him here, to 
proceed to Japan with what force he has. The season suiting admirably, 
we can be there in ten days after leaving this port and be through with 
our part of the performance by fall. We will no doubt leave a part of 
the squadron on their coast to carry out some surveys. We have been 



83 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

saluting, in company with the other national ships in the harbor, in 
honor of the day, and to-night our consul gives a large ball. I shall 
not be able to attend, however, having the mid-watch to keep. Have 
just heard that we are to leave at daylight for Whampoa. The captain 
has just received orders from the commodore, who is in Canton on a 
visit previous to taking his departure for home. His health has so 
much improved he has determined to go overland. We will only be 
in Whampoa a week at farthest, but return with the commodore in 
time for the next mail, he having engaged his berth on board that 
steamer. I am so glad of all the good news your letter gives me of 
home, specially that B. is pleased with his work and has Daddy Jim 
with him. I indulged in a hearty laugh on reading his directions that 
a pair of "dove-colored pants" be sent the dear old darkey. My letter 
has grown to great length, so I must close. With a great deal of love 
to all at home, I am your affectionate son, 

John M. Kell. 

We first anchored in the beautiful and land-locked har- 
bor of Simodi, which has since been totally destroyed by 
an earthquake. We here received many of the high offi- 
cials of Japan. W^e entertained them with great hospi- 
tahty and distinction, to impress them favorably with our 
presence as visitors in Japan. We got permission to 
land our field pieces and also our marine forces and sailors. 
They were allowed to drill in their temple grounds and 
made a very handsome display, and were viewed with 
great interest by the natives. These people impressed us 
with their great superiority to the Chinese. They were in 
every way more congenial in manner and more generous 
in disposition. The dressing of the hair was the reverse 
of the Chinese. Instead of wearing the queue, they shaved 
the crown of the head and brought up the hair to the top 
to cover it, tying it in a little knot on top. The women 
paid great attention to the dressing of their hair and suc- 
ceeded admirably in its adornment. 

Before proceeding further in narrations of our visit to 
Japan I will state what I had forgotten to do before this. 
We had with us on board ship half a dozen Japanese sail- 
ors. They had been picked up floating on a wreck of one 
of their unseaworthy coasting vessels in the Pacifiic Ocean 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 83 

and carried to the United States by an American whale- 
ship. The Government took charge of them and placed 
them on board one of the ships of Commodore Perry's 
Expedition, to be returned to their own country. This 
act of the Government was propitiatory, but I very much 
doubt if it was received in the spirit in which it was meant, 
for one of their laws for cutting ofif communication with 
the outside world, and one strictly enforced, was that any 
Japanese who left his country under any circumstances 
was not allowed to return under punishment of death. 
These poor fellows were no doubt exempted from this law 
and had their lives saved by being proteges of the United 
States Government. This law of forty years or more ago 
must long ago have become obsolete. There was no 
demonstration made over their return, and we never 
heard further of their welfare. While on board they gave 
us a practical demonstration of applying the "moxa." A 
stalwart Japanese was suffering great pain. He stripped 
himself to the waist and with face downward on the deck 
one of his companions applied the "moxa" in little cones 
and set fire to it at the top, on either side of the spine a 
few inches apart. It gradually burned out, and either was 
not very painful or the Japanese had wonderful powers of 
endurance, as he did not seem to move a muscle. After 
the operation he got up, apparently much relieved, and 
quite himself again. 

Commodore Perry had taken out with him one of the 
finest bands of music that ever sailed with a squadron, in 
fact a perfect band. He gave orders that they should 
play national airs and martial music to impress the Japan- 
ese with that style of melody. They were also taken 
around the decks and shown the large guns. They looked 
as little surprised as though they were perfectly familiar 
with their construction and working of the guns. They 
were then taken to our engine room, thinking that the 
beautiful machinery of our magnificent engines would 
elicit some expression of admiration. They looked at all 



y 



84 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

we had to display with interest, but showed no astonish- 
ment at anything. In other words, they showed every 
trait of gentiHty and culture and impressed us with admira- 
tion at their stoicism. After remaining a week or more 
in the harbor of Simodi the squadron got under way and 
we steamed around the Bay of Jeddo. There being no 
accurate charts of this bay known to the civilized world at 
that time, we had to keep a boat (one of our cutters) 
ahead of us, taking soundings as we steamed along, for 
safe guidance. Finding plenty of water, we made good 
progress until our boat was discovered, when quite a fleet 
of native boats loaded with soldiers bearing lances and 
other weapons were seen to pull immediately across the 
bow of our boat to stop our progress. The officer in com- 
mand ordered the men to take up their muskets to defend 
themselves. The Japanese presented their pikes, but the 
official or dignitary in command of their fleet of boats waved 
his fan as a signal for us to come no nearer, and requested 
an intei-view to make explanation. He stated that he was 
sent by his government to stop our further progress up the 
bay. He begged that this request be made known to our 
commanding officer, for while we had it in our power to 
proceed, it would result in his being compelled to commit 
the "hari-kari," which meant to take his own life by falling 
on his sword and disemboweling himself ! This w^as a law 
which had to go into effect for not executing the orders 
of a superior officer. A cruel law, indeed, of so peaceful 
and refined a people! Our officer in command at once 
granted his request. He returned on board ship and re- 
ported the same to the commodore. We came to anchor 
with the squadron and the commodore sent a communi- 
cation to the Mikado, the official head of the Empire, in- 
forming him that he was empowered as Minister Extraor- 
dinary to treat with his government, and desired that a 
day be fixed for presenting his credentials. The officers 
were much relieved at not having to pass through the 
painful ordeal of sacrificing themselves, and left with these 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 85 

dispatches. At this anchorage we were daily visited by- 
officials from the shore. We received them cordially, and 
they were usually entertained by Captain Buchanan and 
Captain Lee, who in true American style would dispense 
to them during their visit a whiskey toddy. The Japanese 
would enjoy what they called "MelHcan wine," and not 
knowing its effects would sometimes take more than they 
could carry comfortably and become very jolly, and a 
jolly Jap is something worth seeing! The commodore, 
while he would encourage these visits from the high offi- 
cials, would never allow himself to be seen. He would iV 
have them invited into his cabin, but retire into his state- 
room, and there unseen greatly enjoy the interviews be- 
tween his officers and the Japanese. The conversations 
were interpreted through the German Secretary. The 
days now passed with very little satisfaction to the com- 
modore, vv^ho was waiting (not very patiently) for the 
Mikado to appoint a day for his reception. Not receiving- 
such notice as he thought in due time, he sent a commu- 
nication to inform the authorities ''if the time was not 
appointed within ten days he would land his forces and 
present his credentials in person at the city of Jeddo." 
This threat seemed to arouse the tardy Mikado, for he saw 
our commodore "meant business." The Mikado forth- 
with ordered the erection of a house in a pleasant location 
higher up the bay, and within the limited ten days the 
commodore was notified that an officer of equal rank with 
himself would receive him at this point. The next day 
the squadron got under way and steamed up to this an- 
chorage, where we saw the new building. Coming to 
anchor (as our squadron did) in line of battle, presenting 
our starboard broadside to the shore, with springs on our 
cables to cover the landing of our forces, and in case of 
treachery that our batteries might play upon the enemy, 
we presented a formidable array. All boats were now 
lowered and preparation made for landing the forces, the 
commodore and his staff (of which I had the honor of 



86 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

being a member) bringing up the rear. The boats pulled 
up in column to the shore. As the forces were landed the 
boats would drop out to the right and left of the landing. 
The marines forming on the right and the blue jackets on 
the left, presented an unbroken line from the shore to the 
building, keeping the Japanese out of that space. The 
commodore then landed, presenting a fine appearance, 
being a large and fine-looking man, in new full-dress uni- 
form, accompanied by his staff. Following this a strik- 
ing feature in this body were three stalwart negroes, neatly 
dressed in their muster suits, armed cap-a-pie, and carrying 
in rosewood boxes the credentials of the Minister Extraor- 
dinary. This was an imposing spectacle, and the Ameri- 
can flag waved for the first time on the soil of Japan in the 
history of that nation. Each company carried a hand- 
some new flag of the American Union. Thousands of 
Japanese witnessed this spectacle and observed the strictest 
order and decorum, while a few of the highest in rank 
were permitted to approach and witness the ceremonies. 
The Japanese flags decorated the building and many were 
carried by the standard-bearers of these officials. As the 
commodore and his staff drew near to the entrance of the 
building he was met by the officer of the Japanese Govern- 
ment and his suite, making the salaams of their country, 
after which we were conducted into the building; the 
Japanese were seated on one side and the Americans on 
the other. The interpreter (Japanese) took his position 
between the two, down on his knees, not daring to look 
at either party, but merely repeating the communications 
as an automaton or a machine might have done. Our 
grand old commodore, with his imposing presence and 
gigantic stature, delivered with great dignity and solem- 
nity the credentials empowering him to treat with the 
Japanese nation, doing honor to his country by his impres- 
sive bearing, both martial and soldierly. After this for- 
mality was gone through with some attempt at pleasant 
intercourse was passed between the two parties, and this 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 87 

great occasion, which proved the wedge that opened Japan 
to the civiHzed world, was brought to a close. The com- 
modore and his staff withdrew from the reception and 
returned on board ship in the same order with which we 
had landed. Nothing occurred to mar the very imposing 
ceremonies in behalf of our country. The fleet got under 
way and dropped down the bay to our former anchorage, 
which was better suited for operating our railroad and the 
telegraph wires brought out by the commodore to display 
to these secluded people the vast improvements of the age. 

In a few days we had in operation the little locomotive 
and miniature cars. For these we had laid the track in 
a circle, and it was about a mile in circumference. The 
Japanese displayed great interest in this steam locomotion 
on dry land. Some of the more daring ventured to ride 
on the outside, the cars being too small to admit of their 
riding inside. What seemed to surprise them more even 
than this was sending messages by telegraph and receiving 
answers in reply. They stationed their own officers and 
interpreters at each end of the line, so had no reason to 
think we were playing upon their creduHty. They greatly 
enjoyed the display of these inventions, and the purpose 
we had in view seemed fully accomplished. We felt fully 
rewarded by their interest and pleasure. 

While at this anchorage our chaplain, a man of most 
inquiring turn of mind, and most persistent in carrying 
out a purpose, wandered off without the knowledge of the 
captain, some distance in the interior. The first informa- 
tion received of him on board ship was a commtmication 
which described him so accurately both as to person and 
dress as to be unmistakable, and a request that he be 
"ordered back to the ship." The bearer, of course, took 
in return an order, signed by the commanding officer, that 
he "return at once to the ship." Our poor chaplain came 
on board quite chagrined. It really was quite contrary 
to orders for our officers or men to go into the interior 
(but chaplains have privileges). All officers and men were 



88 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

always kindly treated by this courteous, gentle-mannered 
people. The commodore, having accomplished the ob- 
ject of his visit, departed with a part of his squadron for 
Hong Kong. Upon our arrival there we met Captain 
Ringgold with his surveying and exploring expedition to 
the North Pacific and the China Seas, of which coast very 
little was then known, no accurate surveys having been 
made up to that time. Captain Ringgold's health having 
failed during this arduous work. Commodore Perry relieved 
him of his command and sent him home as an invalid. 
Captain John Rodgers succeeded him to the command. 
The expedition consisted of five vessels — the Sloop of War 
Vincenncs, Steamer John Hancock, Brig Porpoise, Schooner 
/. Fennimore Cooper, and Store Ship John P. Kenedy. After 
reorganizing this surveying expedition, Commodore Perry 
began his own preparation for returning home overland, 
making such transfers of officers as w^ere necessary. His 
flagship, the Mississippi, he ordered to proceed to Japan, 
and at the same time the surveying and exploring expedi- 
tion to continue on its survey in that direction. Here I 
met a young Georgian, Burleigh Baber, a passed mid- 
shipman on the Brig Porpoise. As he could not hope to 
reach Georgia as soon as I, at his request I took from him 
his Hkeness and letters to bring home to his mother and 
sisters. His mother was the widow of one of Georgia's 
most distinguished physicians. I little dreamed in so 
doing I would bear her the last tidings she w^ould ever 
have of her son. We sailed out of Hong Kong harbor 
together, he in the Porpoise and I in the Mississippi. As 
we passed out of the Lymoon passage we encountered a 
heavy gale of wind. The Mississippi had her steampower 
headed to the northward and eastward (on her w^ay to 
Japan), from which the heaviest of the gale came, while 
the Porpoise parted from us standing to the southward 
and eastward in the direction of the island of Formosa. 
This w^as the last ever seen of the Porpoise. Many were 
the hopes that lingered long with the friends and families 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 89 

of those on the ill-fated brig. There seemed a bare possi- 
bility that some of her crew might have been picked up 
by the savages in the Pacific islands. But nothing has 
ever been heard, or ever will be "till the sea gives up her 
dead." The news of her loss reached the United States 
before we did, and soon after my arrival at home I deliv- 
ered in person my charge to his widowed mother, who in 
sadness and sorrow received them, though not at that 
time with all hope dead in her heart. I realized what he 
had been, "the only son of his mother, and she a widow !" 



Chapter XIII 

Among the transfers of ofificers at Hong Kong i think 
v/ I have failed to mention that I was made master of the 
Mississippi. After riding out a heavy gale we proceeded 
on our course to Japan, arriving in the Bay of Jeddo in 
the month of February. We found there a part of our 
squadron and the coal ship, from which we supplied our- 
selves with coals for our long passage across the Pacific 
Ocean. We met some of our old friends among the natives, 
and laid in a large supply of fresh stores and provisions. 
The Bay of Jeddo (or, as there called, Yedo) is a most mag- 
nificent one. The precipitous coast of Sagami rises to the 
left, while far inland are lofty mountains covered with snow, 
the high peak of Fusi-Yama most conspicuous of all. 
Pretty Httle villages and towns stud the margins of the 
shore, forming a beautiful, restful landscape for the eye of 
the seaman to dwell upon. The coast of Awa, some ten 
or twelve miles distant, gave the lovely twilight haze that 
softens all it rests upon, and gave to Nature even in its 
wintry aspect a look of cheerful repose. The Japanese 
were at that time (I do not know what intercourse with 
the outside world may have done for them) a contented, 
social people, very dignified in demeanor, never seemed 
to act impulsively, but always with mildness and decorum. 
The opening of the spring there seems to inspire the latent 
poetry of their nature, and it is not unusual, as our inter- 
preters informed us, to hear them greet each other in 
fiowery language, such as this, to express their kindly 
New Year's greeting: ''May your felicity be as broad as 
the eastern sea and your age as enduring as the southern 
hills;" "May joys clamber over your blest abode and a 
thousand lucks pass through your gate." But we must 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 91 

set sail ere long, and after taking leave of our friends and 
brother ofificers begin our long and circuitous voyage, 
"homeward bound." 

At the call of the boatswain, "All hands up anchor for 
home," only the mariner can understand and appreciate 
the thrill of joy after an absence of years among a strange 
and foreign people. We were now steering eastward, as 
we had been since leaving our native shores. Our cruise 
was to "circumnavigate the globe." All was bright and 
beautiful as we bade adieu to Japan, the last thing in sight 
being its snow-capped mountain, which had also been the 
first point to welcome us as we approached its unknown 
shores. We had sailed with pleasant weather attending 
us till the seventh day out, when the skies became overcast 
and the clouds scudding with a falling barometer gave 
every indication of an approaching storm. Fortunately 
for us, our good ship, the Mississippi, was lightened by 
the consumption of seven days' coal when we encountered 
a most terrific typhoon. This region of the world is sub- 
ject to such storms, which are circular and progressive. 
The stanch ship labored heavily, and the seas swept over 
our decks, tearing away from the davits our metallic Hfe- 
boat, which we could see floating away from us Hke a cork 
in our wake as far as the eye could reach. Another sea 
struck us on our bow, tearing away our pivot gun and 
completely upsetting it. By the prompt action of our 
daring seamen it was secured and lashed in time to save 
it from being lost overboard. This state of affairs pre- 
sented a very alarming sight to one not accustomed to the 
fury of the winds and waves, but our grand old ship rode 
out the storm magnificently. Her engines worked so per- 
fectly that there really was no cause for anxiety or alarm, 
with our hatches battened down to keep the water from 
going below, and life lines stretched across the decks to 
which our men could hold and keep themselves from being 
swept overboard. We rode out the storm in safety with 
no loss of life. The following day the storm had abated 



93 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

and we pursued our way to the Sandwich Islands and the 
harbor of Hawaii. The changes that had taken place 
since my last visit to these islands in the Frigate Savannah, 
almost ten years before, were really marvelous. Now in 
the place of a native village had grown up a town, quite 
American in aspect, with American inhabitants predomi- 
nating largely. One could imagine himself in a "down 
East" town. The gcnns homo of the true "Brother 
Jonathan" is unmistakable and pronounced wherever he 
is met with in the world, and the Yankee whaler can never 
be imitated by other nations without danger of counterfeit, 
he being entirely original. We remained in port long 
enough to recuperate and enjoy the delightful fruits and 
vegetables of this tropical climate. We next set sail for 
the harbor of San Francisco. 

On arriving here there awaited me still greater surprise 
in the more wonderful changes of this magical city and its 
surroundings. Ten years had elapsed since my service 
here in the Alexican War. Then there were but a few 
wooden structures, where now stood magnificent edifices, 
fine wharves, beautiful and commodious dwellings with 
elaborately decorated grounds surrounding them, and 
gardens filled with luxuriant shrubbery and rare flowers — 
in fact, a city of magical and wonderful growth. We met 
here many friends and acquaintances of both naval and 
civil life. Captain Farragut was here, with no dream of 
the future honors that awaited him as a successful offtcer 
on the winning side in the war between the States a few 
years later. Richard Cuyler, too, was in "Frisco." They 
were both much interested in land speculations in that 
new and growing country. We remained in San Fran- 
cisco two or three weeks, enjoying great hospitality and 
pleasant intercourse with congenial friends, and next 
steamed out of the "Golden Gate" for Valparaiso on our 
homeward journey. This was quite a long stretch at sea, 
passing through the temperate and tropic zones without 
a storm of any kind to cause us anxiety. Arriving at 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 93 

Valparaiso we refreshed our crew with the luxuries of port 
before starting on the boisterous voyage around Cape 
Horn. We spent a few days only in Valparaiso, when 
getting under way we sailed in a southerly direction for 
Cape Horn. As we approached the Cape Captain Lee 
determined to go through the Straits of Magellan. The ^^ 
weather was thick and raining violently, so that we were 
kept anxiously looking for a headland which marks the 
entrance to the Strait. To our great relief we sighted 
this desired object, and steered boldly for the shore. Upon 
entering this rugged passage we suddenly found calm 
waters, and to the great relief of our entire ship's company 
we came to anchor that night in a quiet nook and enjoyed 
for the first time since leaving Valparaiso comfort, rest 
and sleep. 

The next morning at daylight we were under way, 
steaming through this ice-bound passage with a heavy 
snowstorm falling. In the midst of the storm we sighted 
a little canoe pulling ofT to us. In the canoe was a Pata- 
gonian Indian with his squaw, who had her baby lashed 
to her back without a covering on its head, apparently 
regardless of the weather. They begged us for something 
to eat. We loaded them down with "hard tack" and fat 
meat, which was a fortune to them, and they took leave of 
us with grateful hearts. We steamed through the Straits 
the entire day, passing in sight of the penal colony of 
Chile, and that night anchored again at the eastern \/'^ 
entrance of the Straits. The land here presented a fiat 
and low appearance, whereas the western entrance was 
mountainous and rugged. The follovv^ing morning we 
steamed into the broad Atlantic, rejoicing that we were 
again on the ocean that washed our own shores, and 
shaped our course northward for the harbor of Rio Janeiro. 
As we cleared this ice-bound region and approached the 
tropics we rejoiced in the sunshine, thoroughly airing and 
ventilating our bedding, wearing apparel, etc. After a 
pleasant run of about two weeks we entered the famed 



94 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

and beautiful harbor of Rio. Familiar scenes greeted us 
on every side, and we were delighted to find the city 
healthy and free from the fever scourge, so common a 
visitant there. Of course we here enjoyed all the fruits 
and vegetables of this generous soil and climate, and after 
recuperating we again weighed anchor, for the last time, 
on our homeward-bound voyage. In the ordinary voyage 
from Rio to New York, taking the southeast trade winds, 
we ran to the tropics, and after passing the equator 
through calms and rain squalls, we entered the region of 
the brisk northeast trade winds and made a splendid run, 
reaching the port of New York in April, 1855. 

Laying up our good ship alongside the Brooklyn Navy 
Yard, we bade farewell to friends with whom we had 
passed through many scenes of pleasure and encountered 
many trials and dangers, never to be forgotten, in our 
association for years in foreign lands. Commodore Per- 
ry's voluminous and very interesting books upon the 
Japanese Expedition do not seem to have the historical 
value they should and do possess, by being found in all 
public libraries. I regret to say my copy was lost among 
many other valuables in the fortunes of war. Not only 
Avere the note books and journal of the gifted Bayard 
Taylor, author and poet, made use of by the commodore, 
but my beloved friend Dr. Charles Frederick Fahs, of the 
Navy, was a valuable contributor to the same. Being a 
very scientific man and an enthusiastic botanist, the flora 
and fauna of those distant lands gave him great delight, 
and his willing mind was one ever searching for hidden 
treasure in the wells of knowledge; yet so childlike was his 
faith (like the great Maury's) that it was beautiful to see 
how his worshiping soul could look adoringly through 
Nature up to Nature's God. To the end of his useful and 
noble life he was never beguiled by the follies of science, 
but "retained God in his knowledge." and in that knowl- 
edge saw the light of revealed truth and the blessed hope 
of immortality! 



Chapter XIV 

Early in May, 1855, we turned our faces homeward with 
a three-months' leave of absence in our pockets. I found 
family and friends moving from rice plantations to their 
summer places on the salt water. At this season there is 
no indulgence of hunting, but boating, fishing, and pic- 
nicking was the order of the day for amusement. Among 
my friends, living about six miles distant, was George 
Dent, a son of Commodore Dent. He professed to be a 
rice planter, but thereby was a fine mechanic spoiled (for 
his genius was in that direction). George had been spend- 
ing his many leisure hours building a little steamer for use 
and pleasure on the river inlets and sound in his neighbor- 
hood, he living then at Baisden's Bluff. On the comple- 
tion of the boat he invited me to attend the ceremony of 
launching it, which occasion was to be a merrymaking to 
his friends and neighbors. The launch proved quite a 
success, and she rode the waters gracefully. The gratifi- 
cation of the builder and owner was an enjoyment to his 
friends as well as himself. The following day Dent pro- 
posed taking me to Sapelo Island on a visit, he acting as 
engineer, with a negro man to assist him, I as helmsman 
to steer the little craft. We made excellent time, our 
navigation being all on salt water, and we reached the 
island before sunset. We anchored in Sapelo Sound, and 
shortly after my cousin, Randolph Spalding, came pulHng 
out of the mouth of the creek to us in one of his fine race 
boats. He invited us ashore for the night. We declined, 
as we were "yachting," and insisted that he should spend 
the night with us. He vowed that our "craft could not 
hold him for a longer time than a social call, as he knew 
Dent's boat was bound to blow up." The next day's ex- 



96 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

perience came near proving Randolph's assertion a 
prophecy. We decided on a trip up to the city of Darien 
the following- day. At first all went well with our little 
steamer; but as we were passing from the salt water into 
the fresh the boiler commenced foaming to such a degree 
as to cause us great alarm. It threw water from every 
conceivable egress, covering the deck and us. This steam 
and vapor bath we did not relish much. While we felt 
courageous enough to die for duty, we did not want to sac- 
rifice our lives simply for pleasure. I changed the course of 
the steamer for the nearest shore, but before reaching that 
point the violent ebullition began to subside, and I real- 
ized that it was only the change in the water, at which we 
were greatly relieved, and continued our delightful little 
cruise, visiting our friends on the sea islands in their sum- 
mer homes. 

In June of this year I made a visit to the city of Macon. 
On this visit I met for the first time my future wife. 
Beautiful city of Macon, within your suburbs I found love 
and happiness in the long years gone by! And now the 
life within me thrills when I breathe your flower-laden 
air, and the memories of the past sweep over me with 
loving benediction ! 

In October I made a second visit to Macon, and accom- 
panied my relatives, the Reeses, to the village of Roswell 
to attend the marriage of Miss Rees to Rev. F. R. Golding, 
a Presbyterian divine, and the author of the "Young Ma- 
rooners," "The Woodruff Stories," etc., books now known 
in every land, and translated into several tongues. Re- 
turning from this marriage I spent a few very happy days 
in Macon. "Leaves of absence" will draw to a close, and 
early in December I received orders to join the Coast Sur- 
vey Schooner Arago, then lying at the Pensacola Navy 
Yard. Leaving home on these orders, I spent a few hours 
in Macon, passed through Milledgeville and attended the 
Governor's reception, my sister, Mrs. Charles Spalding, 
being there at the time with her husband, Colonel Spald- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 97 

ing being a member of the Legislature. I joined the 
Am go and we proceeded to Galveston, Texas, which port 
we reached the middle of December, and at once entered 
on our work, the survey of the coast to the southward of 
that port. I, with the junior heutenant, James H. Gillis, 
(now Commodore Gillis, of the United States Navy), was 
stationed with a theodolite on shore for angHng on the 
schooner in charge of Captain De Haven and the junior 
officers, they running lines of soundings. This work was 
very exacting, being obHged to angle from sunrise to sun- 
set, every eight minutes in the day. This kept Gillis and 
/I quite busy, we being stationed nine miles apart. We 
were relieved from this hard work, though, by the frequent 
northers occurring at this season of the year, which would 
blow the little schooner out of sight for days at a time. 
Then would come our season of sport and enjoyment in 
hunting and fishing. 

Upon one of these occasions Gillis rode up to the house 
I was occupying, it being the plantation home of ex-Gov- 
ernor Winston, of Alabama, and to which the family came 
in summer to enjoy the breezes and bathing in the Gulf. 
Upon the top of this house I had erected a comfortable 
observatory, from which I could see for miles across the 
prairie in the rear. Having noticed this morning a fine 
buck feeding on the prairie, I suggested to Gillis our try- 
ing to secure him for rations, which in the absence of the 
schooner were becoming short. Gillis gladly seconded 
this plan, and having a pointer dog for which he had paid 
forty dollars in Philadelphia, we expected rare sport. 
Gillis had tried the dog for birds, but at the first fire he 
made tracks for home. We thought failing to be a bird 
dog he might prove a deer dog. Taking our sailor man 
Bloomer, who waited on me, to the observatory and point- 
ing out the deer, I instructed him to tie the dog and carry 
him around the deer, then setting the dog on and whoop- 
ing wildly to drive the deer in our direction toward the 
Gulf. The sailor obeyed implicitly, and the dog per- 



98 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

formed his work like a well-trained hound, opening a loud 
bark at every jump of the deer and bringing him on to us 
in fine style. Gillis was armed with a double-barrelled 
shotgun, loaded with buckshot. I had a long rifle in 
which I put eight buckshot. Knowing that Gillis was 
better armed than I, and- a good shot, I placed him in 
advance in a little clump of bushes and pointed out to him 
where the deer would probably run. I charged him not 
to fire till the deer reached a certain point, while I took 
my stand in his rear. Gillis had never killed a deer and 
I really wanted to give him the opportunity, but the noble 
animal came on so beautifully that I covered him with my 
rifle before he reached the point at which I had directed 
Gillis to fire, and to pull my trigger was irresistible. To 
my delight, but to Gillis's cruel disappointment, the buck 
tumbled over. Gillis was chagrined beyond expression, 
and turning to me said in a deplorable way, "Kell, how 
could you treat me so?" Of course, I was ashamed, and 
my only excuse was that "we were very short of rations," 
and I had such a dead shot on him I had to shoot; 
but I do not think Gillis ever quite forgave me. We sent 
for Gillis's old horse, and throwing the deer across we 
took him to the house, and that day enjoyed fine venison 
steaks for dinner, which I hoped would somewhat soothe 
the hunter's ire. That was the only opportunity Gillis 
and I ever had to shoot a deer while in Texas, and even at 
this late day I would be pleased to know if Gillis ever shot 
a deer, for he was a most enthusiastic Nimrod, and withal 
an excellent shot. 

Our little station, the mouth of the Brazos River, which 
then had only the summer home of Governor Winston to 
distinguish it, has at this writing grown into a city of con- 
siderable trade and importance, bearing the name of 
Brazos City, this change no doubt having been brought 
about by the Eads jetty system in deepening the entrance 
to this magnificent stream. Previous to this hunt I had 
enjoyed with Mr. Brown, a Georgian, but then a resident 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 99 

of Quintana, Texas, a very exciting chase with his grey- 
hounds, five in number. As the chase of the greyhound 
is exclusively by sight, the hunt is usually participated in 
after the burning ofif of the prairies for the benefit of the 
stock that feed upon these prairies. Being well mounted, 
the hounds followed us apparently conscious of the sport 
that awaited them, and gladly anticipating it. One of the 
dogs, named "Queen," a graceful, handsome creature, was 
the favorite of her master, and she seemed to understand 
his every movement. After a few miles' ride we sighted 
a noble buck and approached him from the leeward, so as 
to avoid his scenting us. When within a few hundred 
yards of the noble animal Mr. Brown beckoned to Queen; 
she readily obeyed, and coming to his horse's side leaped 
up on the pommel of his saddle to obtain a distant view, 
when Mr. Brown pointing in the direction of the deer, she 
at once took in the object, sprang to the ground and was 
off like a flash; leading the pack of dogs, she gave chase 
in the direction of the game. The buck bounded to his 
feet, making playful leaps as if gamboling for his own 
amusement. The dogs became very much excited at his 
appearance and commenced their earnest work of the 
chase, when their near approach put the buck to his best 
speed, and off they flew across the prairie. We put spurs 
to our horses and at first attempted to keep up with them. 
We soon found, however, that the dogs could outrun us 
on a long chase, so reining in our horses to enjoy the sport, 
we watched with intense interest their race until a slight 
elevation carried them out of sight. The last we saw of 
the deer the dogs were almost up with him, and we quietly 
waited to see what the result would be. In about an hour 
they came back to us, showing evidence of having caught 
the deer, their jaws reeking with blood. We failed to 
secure the game, but enjoyed the sport. This was the 
first time I ever witnessed the sport of "coursing with 
greyhounds." Their speed was something remarkable. 
The fishing there was also very successful and abundant. 



100 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

We could at any time catch quantities of red fish or snap- 
pers, which added to our larder and comfort as well as our 
sport. Cedar Lake, near which we w^ere stationed, was 
only a little distance from the village of Ouintana, and was 
in consequence quite a resort for picnics and pleasure par- 
ties, and I was often subject to surprises by calls from 
ladies and gentlemen, horseback riding being a great 
diversion in those days, and they always insisted on my 
joining them in their pleasant pastime when not strictly 
"on duty." Taking it all in all our situation, however, 
was often lonely and monotonous, the schooner sometimes 
drifting from us and leaving Gillis and I miles apart, with 
only a sailor man to wait upon us. After I left my eight-by- 
ten shanty and moved some thirty miles or more and took 
up quarters in Governor Winston's unoccupied house I 
used sometimes to have company. Governor Winston 
and his brother came to see after the planting of a sum- 
mer garden and spent a couple of weeks with me. They 
were very pleasant gentlemen and I did enjoy their com- 
pany. About this time, or a little later, I had quite 
a sick turn with chills and fever, and by the doctor's 
advice went on board the schooner that he might look 
after my health. I went in the schooner to the city 
of Galveston, where she was going for supplies. I soon 
recovered. While in Galveston I made the acquaint- 
ance of the Menard family. Mrs. Menard, formerly of 
the city of Macon (like myself, a Georgian), was a leader 
in society here and had a charming young daughter, for 
whose pleasure a large masquerade ball was given, which 
Dr. Martin (of the ship) and I attended. Not being in 
time to procure fancy costumes, we had that of monks 
prepared, and being exactly alike in dress and very simi- 
lar in size, we had a merry time in confusing our partners 
in the dance by occasional exchange. I think there are 
scenes that stand out in relief, as it were, in one's memory. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 101 

and this evening of merriment I have often looked back 
upon with pleasure. 

Dr. Martin was quite a naturalist in his tastes. He 
took great interest in collecting insects, birds, reptiles, 
etc., and he also interested his messmates in this subject 
and we were pleased to contribute to his collection, espe- 
cially we who had a good opportunity on shore. One 
day I caught a rare snake of very brilliant coloring, and 
knowing what a treasure he would be to the doctor, I 
pinioned him to the ground till I could go to the house 
and get a wide-mouthed pickle jar in which to imprison 
him. When I returned I dexterously induced his snake- 
ship to enter the bottle, where he coiled himself, where- 
upon I placed the cork very securely, as I thought, leav- 
ing a small airhole through which he could breathe. I 
then placed him in all confidence on my table, quite an 
ornament in the eyes of a naturalist. The next morning 
to my dismay the bottle was empty ! I supposed, or very 
naturally hoped, he had made his escape through the door 
of my cabin, for it was not very agreeable to think he was 
occupying my quarters with me. I tried to banish the 
thought of him from my mind, yet I found myself looking 
for him all the while when not busily engaged otherwise. 
The next evening I was seated at the table writing when 
to my amazement and horror I heard a rustling noise in 
the rafters above my head and the next moment down 
came the snake on my paper! It took me a very short 
time (though I was quite nervous) to decapitate him, and 
that was the last time I attempted to capture a snake for 
the doctor's valuable collection. Not being very success- 
ful with these wily reptiles, in future I assisted the doctor 
in getting some living creatures less venomous but even 
more curious. I think our next capture was a couple or 
more of the horned frogs of Texas. 

The constant observations being very injurious to sight, 
and the advanced summer season, made it necessary for 



103 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

US to abandon our survey. My eyes were so affected that 
they had to be bandaged to avoid the Hght. Captain De 
Haven suffered extremely in the same way. On the first 
day of June we sailed for Philadelphia. After a smooth 
and delightful voyage we arrived at the Navy Yard and 
hauled our little schooner alongside the dock. Captain 
De Haven went to his home in the city. Mr. Gillis's 
young and charming wife was awaiting him at the hotel, 
where he joined her. Dr. Martin and Midshipman Liv- 
ingstone left for their homes, and I remained in the city to 
bring up the survey with the captain. This work occupied 
us for three months. 

In Philadelphia I met my cousin, James McQueen 
Mcintosh, stationed at the rendezvous there, preparatory 
to service in the distant West, he being an officer in the 
United States Army and a graduate of West Point several 
years previous to this time. His father, Col. James Sim- 
mons Mcintosh, was a gallant and distinguished officer in 
the Army and lost his life for his country in the Mexican 
War. James was very enthusiastic in the profession he 
had chosen, and loved it by right of inheritance, as it were, 
and was "every inch a soldier." We had many happy 
hours together and many delightful drives and rambles in 
the beautiful Wissahickon Valley and other surroundings 
of the city of "Brotherly Love," our own hearts drawn to 
each other by ties of blood and clanship in the distance 
of the past. James afterward married a Virginia lady, 
and at the breaking out of the war between the States 
resigned from the United States Army and tendered his 
services to the Confederacy. He lost his noble life at the 
battle of Pea Ridge, having risen to the rank of brigadier- 
general, and was second in command to General McCul- 
lough. They were killed within a few minutes of each 
other, and surely no more heroic blood was shed as a liba- 
tion to the sacred "lost cause" her sons so dearly cherish ! 
This was one of the manv sad incidents in the late Civil 



RECOLLFXTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 103 

War in which brother fought against brother, for James's 
brother, John BailHe Mcintosh, was a gallant soldier in 
the Federal service and lost a leg in the battle of Opequan, 
Virginia. For his bravery he was promoted to the rank 
of Major-General, and lived for many years after the war 
ended to enjoy the honors and distinctions conferred by 
the winning side of his grateful country. 



Chapter XV 

In October, 1856, I procured a leave of absence and 
came to Macon, Georgia, to be married to Miss Julia 
Blanche Munroe, which happy event took place on the 
fifteenth day of the month, in Christ's Church, Macon, 
my relative, Rev. Henry K. Rees, officiating. Having 
been entitled by previous long-continued sea service to a 
generous leave of absence, we entered upon a winter of 
great gaiety and enjoyment. After a few days of pleasure 
in Macon, made bright by receptions and parties, we vis- 
ited my home on the seaboard and were entertained by 
my relatives and friends in the hospitable manner known 
to that period and section. Elegant dinner parties, dances 
in the evenings, a regatta given in our honor by Hon. 
Thomas Forman, of Broughton Island, and a ten days' 
entertainment of seventy guests at the home of Randolph 
Spalding on Sapelo Island. Such an entertainment 
savored of baronial times. The spacious rooms in the 
grand old Tabby house were occupied by the ladies, while 
the gentlemen were quartered in tents under the grand 
old live oak trees which surrounded the house. A beau- 
tiful Indian summer, "autumn's carnival," reigned su- 
preme. Amusements of all kinds during the day — driv- 
ing, riding, with walks on the beach, and deer hunting for 
the gentlemen who liked the chase. The evenings were 
given up to dancing, with a fine band of musicians from 
Savannah to furnish the music. The sumptuous table, 
supplied with all the good things of land and sea. was set 
at any and all hours — a perpetual feast. 

The regatta to which I alluded was a typical scene of 
sport entered into by the rice planters of Georgia. The 
four boats in the race were famous for their speed, and 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 105 

were owned by Mr. James Hamilton Couper, Mr. Forman, 
Dr. Brailsford Troup, and my relative, Randolph Spalding. 
There was assembled on this occasion all the elite of the 
coast — the beautiful daughters of Hon. T. Butler King, 
the Misses Troup, the Misses Hazelhurst, the charming 
daughters of Hugh Grant, Esq. — all belles and beauties — 
and indeed all the families that made the seaboard society 
so delightful. One peculiar feature attending this boat 
race gave rise to a very appropriate anecdote which I re- 
lated upon my first visit after the war to the North in the 
year 1868 or '69 to a party of gentlemen in New York, in 
the law office of my cousin, Hon. John E. Ward, and his 
partners, Mr. Whitehead and Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones was 
a Georgian, but Mr. Whitehead a Northerner and a leader 
in the Republican party. One of the gentlemen asked 
me "how affairs were progressing under reconstruction 
rule in Georgia?" I replied that "the bottom rail was on 
top now," and I could illustrate it by telling them an inci- 
dent of the class that were now prominent in the Legisla- 
ture of the State. I then told them of the regatta that 
had taken place a few years before, when the negroes were 
in the rice fields at work when the race was going on. Upon 
hearing the loud cheering and hurrahing of Mr. Forman, 
who always became very much excited during a regatta, 
one negro remarked to the other, "Dar, now, Massa boat 
beat, Massa boat beat!" "How you know Massa boat 
beat?" inquired the second darkey. "Cause," said the 
first, "don't you heah Massa holler?" "Yes, but don't 
you know Massa holler beat or no beat?" "That is the 
element now ahead in Georgia helping to make the laws 
in my native State." 

But I digress, and my thoughts have wandered from the 
happy time when there was no dream of war or future 
trouble of any kind; when we thought ourselves living 
under the happiest government the world had ever seen ! 
In the spring of 1857 I received orders to proceed to Nor- 
folk, Virginia, on board the Receiving Ship Pennsylvania, 



106 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

which duty was not very arduous, allowing me two days 
on board ship on duty and two days on shore. This being 
a famous naval station, I met many old friends, who wel- 
comed me with my bride with true Virginia hospitality. 
My friends vied with each other in paying us many atten- 
tions. Jack Cooper and his estimable wife gave us a 
charming reception at his house, where the whole Navy 
society of Norfolk were invited to meet us. The United 
States Surveying Steamer Hct::cl came into Norfolk hav- 
ing on board my old friends R. D. Minor, Dr. Fahs and 
Bayard Hand, of Georgia. They insisted upon giving, in 
honor of my bride, a party or ball on board the Hctzcl. 
This was a very brilliant affair. The decks were cleared 
for dancing and decorated in true man-of-war style, being 
enclosed with flags of different nations and brilliantly 
lighted with chandeliers constructed from bayonets, etc., 
which was all meant to be a very impressive welcome to a 
sailor's bride. Here were assembled many of the old 
Navy families — the Whittles, the Sinclairs, the Carters, 
the Pegrams, the Spotswoods, and others. Norfolk was 
for many months a delightful abiding place for us. 

In the fall of this year I received orders to the United 
States Store Ship Supply, making in her two trips to Brazil 
with stores to the South American Squadron. The 
Supply was commanded by Captain Gray, a very nice gen- 
tleman, but having a few peculiarities that are common to 
elderly bachelors, though withal a very genial, pleasant 
companion. Aaron K. Hughes was first lieutenant; I, 
second lieutenant, and James H. Gillis, my old companion 
of the Coast Survey, third lieutenant. Dr. Horwitz, the 
surgeon, was a very clever gentleman, and to him I became 
much attached during our intimacy on board ship. The 
voyage was one quite devoid of interest or incident, carry- 
ing salt beef and pork, hard tack, and other rations that 
make up a sailor's menu, for the Brazil Squadron. Brazil 
(as I think I have mentioned before) was in that day a fine 
country, whose emperor had at heart the advancement of 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 107 

his empire and the good of his people. Both Dom Pedro 
and his Empress Amalia were beloved sovereigns. Upon 
arriving at Rio we found the yellow fever rife. The squad- 
ron had gone down to the river La Platte. When we 
entered the port the health officer, an old physician whom 
most of us had met before, boarded our ship, and after 
saluting us, cordially remarked : "Gentlemen, you should 
board me, instead of my asking after the health of your 
ship. Yellow fever is decimating the ship's crews in this 
harbor, and if you remain a week in port you will not have 
enough men left to weigh anchor." At the same time he 
pointed out a number of ships that he said "had only 
watchmen on board, the crews having all died, or the few 
that remained been removed to hospitals on shore." This 
was a very depressing state of affairs. It was very per- 
ceptible, even on the face of Nature. There was a heavy 
cloud overhanging the city, and the absence of the brisk 
sea breeze enlivening the bay with the sail crafts moving 
back and forth was very noticeable. Our orders, how- 
ever, were peremptory to proceed to Rio and land stores, 
and our captain did not hesitate to carry out his instruc- 
tions, so we continued to our anchorage off the plague- 
stricken city. We were soon visited by a messenger from 
the consulate bringing us dispatches from the commodore 
saying "the squadron had left for Montevideo and to follow 
without delay." This was a great relief to us, and early 
the next morning we took advantage of the nauseous land 
breeze and left for a healthier atmosphere. Although our 
stay was very short (one night only) in the infected port, 
yellow fever showed itself among our crew as soon as we 
reached the pure air of the broad Atlantic, which is a char- 
acteristic of this disease, developing itself more rapidly 
when the victim is removed to purer air. We had no 
fatal cases, however, and were soon in usual health. 

Montevideo is the Capital of Uruguay and is situated 
on the north shore of the river La Platte, at the mouth of 
the river, which at this point is seventy miles wide. The 



108 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

city is built on an elevated peninsula forming an anchor- 
age in the shape of a horseshoe opening to the westward 
and subject to violent storms called "pamparos," which 
blow across the prairies. The first breezes show the vio- 
lence of the coming storm by the cobwebs caught in the 
rigging, which indication warns the prudent mariner to 
send down all his yards and house topmast, and depend 
solely on his ground tackle for the safety of his ship. The 
experience of one of these blows during our stay made 
a hero of our junior lieutenant, James H. Gillis. Gillis 
was on shore when the storm came up, as were a number 
of other officers of the ship, together with boats and their 
crews from ships in the harbor, which could not pretend 
to pull against the violence of the storm to reach their 
vessels. At this juncture the cry of alarm spread 
through the city that a schooner had sunk on the 
sea-face of the city and the crew were clinging to the mast- 
head for their lives, in momentary danger of being swept 
away, as the sea was breaking over them. The entire 
populace rushed to the scene of danger. Gillis in his en- 
thusiastic ardor conceived the idea of saving them, and 
returning to the mole, or landing place of the boats, called 
out for "volunteers to go with him to rescue those drown- 
ing men !" At once a dozen or more stalwart seamen 
stepped to the front. From them he selected six, manned 
the whaleboat, and taking the steering oar in his hand 
shoved bravely off, facing the storm. All eyes were now 
riveted upon Gillis and his bold boat's crew, who were risk- 
ing their lives to save their fellow-beings. To the great 
joy of his brother officers Gillis managed his boat beauti- 
fully, keeping her head always to the sea, and gradually 
pulling around the point of the peninsula till he got in po- 
sition to drop down with the bows still facing the storm, 
till he fell to leeward of the schooner's mast, when one by 
one he rescued the men from their perilous position. He 
laid them down in the bottom of the boat, apparently more 
dead than alive. The stalwart seamen began their difficult 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 109 

task of pulling again to windward in order to round the 
point of the peninsula and secure their landing at the mole. 
When the last man was taken down the cheers of the mul- 
titude on shore were very encouraging to the life-savers, 
and when the boat landed Gillis was lifted upon the shoul- 
ders of some of the most prominent citizens and carried in 
triumph to the hotel amid the cries of "Make way for the 
brave American !" in Spanish. Our purser, a bluff old fel- 
low who had recently passed through the bloody border 
warfare in Kansas, threw a damper on all this wild scene 
of enthusiasm by exclaiming, "Why, what is all this about? 
What has Gillis done?" but this did not detract from the 
daring and bravery of his action. Gillis was presented 
with a very handsome gold-bound album, with the names 
and thanks of all the prominent citizens of Montevideo, 
and the grateful thanks by letter of the government to 
which the schooner belonged. This gift I doubt not is, as 
it should be, an heirloom and treasure to his wife and chil- 
dren. 

It was on this cruise that I remember witnessing for the 
last time a time-honored custom, then even almost obso- 
lete. It was the visit of Neptune and his suite to a ship 
about crossing the equatorial line. It is ostensibly for 
the purpose of "christening all young sailors who are for 
the first time passing from one hemisphere to the other, 
after which initiation they are ever thereafter entitled to 
roam old ocean as one of Neptune's own." On board of 
our vessels of war, if permission was granted by the captain, 
the crew would get up a very fair and creditable perform- 
ance. Neptune on this occasion was personated by one 
of the oldest sailors, a veritable "Jack Tar" of the olden 
time, with a great curling wig and an immense beard of 
rope yarn, bearing in his hand his trident, and drawn aft 
upon the deck in his car of state, fitted out of a gun-car- 
riage. He was accompanied by eight or ten of the stout- 
est seamen as attendants to execute his will. After salut- 
ing the officer of the deck he asked "permission to examine 



no RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

the crew that he might learn if there were any on board 
that ship to be christened." Of course his attendants 
knew all who had never before crossed the line and began 
immediate search for the victims. They were brought 
up by force into the presence of "His Majesty" and a few 
questions of form put to them. "His Majesty" then or- 
dered them to be first shaved, next christened. The 
attendant who acted as Neptune's barber then lathered 
the face and beard most thoroughly with tar, and with a 
huge wooden razor scraped the face vigorously. He was 
then plunged in a boat filled with salt water, and rising 
from this presented a most forlorn and deplorable picture, 
and all hands saluted him as an old tar, the son of the great 
Neptune, to the merry enjoyment of his brother sailors. 

It is a privilege to the mariner, especially to one who is 
fond of astronomy, to visit the southern latitudes and view 
the starlit heavens. The "Southern Cross" is one of the 
most beautiful of the constellations here. Only those who 
"follow the sea in ships" can realize the wonders and gran- 
deur of the deep, and surely nothing can more deeply im- 
press the thinking mind with belief in the Great Creator, 
"who holds it all as in the hollow of His hand, whose voice 
the winds and the sea obey." 

One day while it was blowing quite a gale and we were 
perhaps a hundred miles or more from land a swarm of 
butterflies swept over our deck. They were too sprightly 
to be caught, but as the wind was blowing favorably for 
their resistless voyage they no doubt found their way 
safely to shore. 

Upon first arriving at Montevideo, having been one 
hundred and five days on ship with but a two hours' visit 
to the shore at Porta Praya, we determined — Dr. Horwitz, 
Lieutenant Gillis and I — upon a walk. We trigged off in 
our best citizens' clothes, got in a boat and pulled for the 
shore, a mile distant. We were pleased to find here a 
nicely constructed iron wharf, the building of which, we 
afterward learned with regret, had caused the failure of 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 111 

the enterprising Englishman who ventured its construc- 
tion. He had every reason to beheve that so favored a 
city would rapidly increase in trade, and visions of immense 
profits rose before him; but "Dame Fortune" often disap- 
points the most sanguine of her votaries, and very soon 
after the poor Englishman finished his wharf a revolution 
broke out which lasted for years, trade ceased, and his 
investment paid little or nothing. The custom house 
there was quite an imposing structure. The immense 
cathedral which so impressed us with its grandeur from a 
distance was disappointing on a nearer approach. The 
constant revolutions had prevented its completion and the 
outside walls were rough and unfinished. The interior, 
however, was in better condition, presenting a wide aisle 
with immense columns on either side, and a beautiful ro- 
tunda. The walls were hung with rich paintings of the 
Virgin Mary and our Saviour, and wax figures of the dif- 
ferent saints. One of the fine paintings was said to be a 
very rare production of art, and was a gift to the church 
from Louis XIII. of France. We chanced to be in Monte- 
video during the "Holy Season" or "Passion Week," and 
as in all other Roman Catholic countries it was most 
sacredly observed. On Good Friday every good church- 
man and woman habited themselves in deepest mourning 
and spent the day in going from church to church and 
from service to service. This is kept up till the following 
Sunday, when the mourning is turned into joy and upon the 
Ascension of the Risen Saviour all is gladness. In the 
aisles and upon the altar, and indeed throughout the im- 
mense cathedral, were huge silver candlesticks and can- 
delabra with lighted candles, giving an efifect of great 
beauty, and the thronging masses of heart-filled worship- 
ers — some kneeling before the Holy Mother, some kiss- 
ing the golden girdle on the image of her more Holy 
Son — was truly a grand and impressive sight, even to 
those outside the pale of Rome's communion. 



113 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

There was one pleasure we enjoyed at Montevideo, and 
that was the privilege of the reading room, always open 
to lis. Strolling into this sanctum one day I took a 
lounge, and seating myself comfortably with the leading 
papers of Europe and America before me, whiled away 
some leisure hours. There was much news of interest, 
giving the progress of the wars in India and China; the 
murderous attempt by a lot of Italian assassins on the life 
of the Emperor Napoleon; the launching of the Leviathan, 
the immense sea steamer built by England, six hundred 
feet in length, the successful navigation of which was ex- 
pected to revolutionize the commercial world. The Eng- 
lish papers were filled with particulars of the festivities to 
take place upon the approaching marriage of the Princess 
Royal Victoria of England to Prince Frederick William of 
Prussia. In looking back upon these items of news, then 
filling the papers, one is startlingly reminded of the 
changes time can make, of the mutations, and, after all, 
the vanity and briefness of human life. 



Chapter XVI 

Learning that the fever had abated in Brazil, it was 
now our great pleasure to leave for Rio, as upon the 
delivery of our stores depended our speedy return to the 
United States and our homes and families. We reached 
Rio safely, and instead of the death pall that was shroud- 
ing it in our few hours' detention on our way out, the city 
seemed restored to the vigor of health. Trade was brisk, 
and air and breezes delightful. 

Brazil is the country for diamonds, and I took the oppor- 
tunity to select one. Captain Grey was a connoisseur in 
gems, and ofifered to accompany me, which ofifer I gladly 
accepted. We found our way to the largest dealer in 
stones. He proved to be an officer in the Brazilian Army, 
who took the opportunity while stationed at the diamond 
mines to make some very choice selections. We were 
ushered into his rooms, where we were fairly dazzled with 
the wealth and brilliancy that surrounded us. Diamonds 
were grouped in parcels on tables or stands all around the 
room. Upon discussing and admiring the beauty of the 
gems, the officer asked "if we had ever seen a black dia- 
mond?" He said "they were very rare, but not to be com- 
pared to the others, and if we would excuse him, he would 
go into his wife's room, as she had a fine black diamond 
he would like us to see." He deliberately walked out, 
leaving us two strangers to himself surrounded by dia- 
monds ! The captain turned to me and remarked, "Kell, 
that is a very trusting man, or he has a detective with his 
eye on us, and our situation is not a pleasant one." The 
merchant soon returned with his wife's rare gem, holding 
it up for our admiration. It did not equal in beauty the 
ones we had been examining, as we admitted. The cap- 
8 



114 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

tain remarked to the merchant that "he was surprised at 
his leaving us two strangers to him with his valuable pos- 
sessions surrounding us." He smiled complacently and 
said, "Ah, gentlemen, I know whom to trust." I made a 
selection and he had it set for me. 

Brazil is also famous for the beautiful work done in 
feathers. From the natural feathers, so exquisitely and 
highly colored, the nuns make flowers — the camellia ja- 
ponica and carnations being among the handsomest. The 
birds of this latitude are very gorgeous and beautiful. The 
charming little humming bird is a marvel from its great 
variety, there being several very distinct kinds. I pro- 
cured a handsome bunch of the flowers, and a few of the 
little stuffed birds to poise upon them to make the bou- 
quet complete. The butterflies and beetles here are 
simply gorgeous. Insect life is here seen in its most beau- 
tiful aspect, and it seems to me one must acquire in Brazil 
the tastes of a naturalist if their eyes and hearts are open 
to take in the beautiful handiwork of Nature's God. 

Our ofiicers were invited by the French Minister to at- 
tend the "Te Deums" to be offered for the preservation of 
the lives of the Emperor and Empress of the French in 
the late attempted assassination. I did not leave the ship, 
it being my day's duty on board, but it was, I learned, a 
grand occasion, all officers from all the ships in the harbor 
appearing in full dress uniforms to do full justice to this 
occasion for thankfulness. 

Even the beauties and diversions of a foreign country 
became wearisome to hearts growing anxious for a sight 
of their native land and reunion with families and friends, 
and it was with great rejoicing that we found our stores 
all landed and the orders given to set sail "homeward 
bound." Our voyage home was quite eventless, except 
that our patience was often sorely tried by the calms we 
encountered; but the month of July found us safely landed 
in New York harbor, from which port we had sailed eight 
months before. Home and happiness! Oh, dwellers on 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 115 

the land, can you imagine, or, far more, can you appre- 
ciate, the joy of a sailor's welcome home? But this joy 
was to be of short duration — only three short weeks. I 
found I could not be detached from the Store Ship Supply 
and have it count as a two years' cruise to me unless I 
made the second trip in her. Late in September I re- 
turned to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the 9th of October 
found us again "outward bound." The last link of com- 
munication was broken as the Highlands of Navesink dis- 
appeared below the western horizon. We had a glorious 
breeze directly aft and ran at the rate of eight or nine 
knots an hour. Several little sparrows took refuge on 
board, having been blown ofif by the fresh northwest 
wind. I endeavored to revive them by giving them bread 
crumbs and fresh water, and these little passengers of the 
feathered tribe staid with us some hours. When not on 
watch or duty I amused myself reading "Pickwick 
Papers," then a new and popular book, or if tired of that 
light pastime, varied my reading with the "Chemistry of 
Common Life." Our lovely weather was not of long du- 
ration. About the middle of the month found us with 
head winds and a rough sea tossing and pitching most 
uncomfortably, and two ships in sight almost in company 
with us. One of these was a large clipper ship, and she 
presented a beautiful sight as she passed near us under a 
perfect cloud of canvas, like a great bird with outstretched 
wings seeking a place of safety from the coming storm. 
We had now to prepare ourselves for a gale, or a suc- 
cession of gales, from southeast, northeast and north- 
west points of the compass; the last, rising to its height 
at noon, was certainly grand and magnificent. The "pen 
of a ready writer" or the brush of a skilful artist might 
convey a faint picture to the imagination, but one must 
be an eye-witness to appreciate the grandeur of such a 
storm at sea. Picture to yourself a wild horse of the 
prairie with nostrils distended, mane flying to the breeze, 
eyes flashing madness as he exerts every muscle in speed to 



116 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

escape the consuming fire as it roars in flames and rapidly 
encroaches upon his fated heels! Such a comparison pre- 
sented itself to me as on my watch I stood by the helms- 
man and watched his careful steering as our ship sped 
before the gale under close reef sail at the rate of thirteen 
knots an hour, huge billows bursting in an ocean of foam 
close upon our wake, often washing our feet as we stood 
upon the upper deck, so madly did the waves dash on us; 
then would our good ship strain every cord, as it were, to 
escape the fast-following sea, as towering high above the 
billows would break close upon our feet. Indeed, the sea 
was not like itself. It resembled more a desert of float- 
ing sand driven by the tempest. The sun shone bright in 
the clear sky above and the wind howled as it lashed the 
combing sea, driving the spoondrift like mist through the 
air and covering the vast ocean in a sea of foam — a scene 
grand and magnificent to behold ! How constantly are 
those reminded who travel on the great deep of the won- 
derful works and goodness of the Great Creator! One 
day tossed and driven by the raging tempest, the next 
evening, perhaps, sailing pleasantly along under quiet 
skies with a full moon beaming upon a stilled and tranquil 
ocean. 

Having only three lieutenants on board, our watch 
seemed to come round very fast and keep us very busy. 
Some sport we sometimes had. Our men thought to 
enliven our quiet by doing some fishing. From a school 
of "trigger fish" they caught quite a number, which we 
had for dinner, and were surprised to find them quite pal- 
atable. It is a small fish, about the size of a fresh-water 
perch, with a skin in roughness resembling the shark, and 
teeth like a sheepshead; but the name is given to it from a 
peculiar fin on the back which can be set like the trigger 
of a gun, and by touching a spring the fin will fall. We 
also caught a beautiful dolphin, and our cook excelling 
in preparing chowder, we had fish chowder and dolphin 
steaks; but the dolphin's hues really seemed too gay and 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 117 

beautiful to make him a dish for food. It was like utiliz- 
ing the rainbow! We had not been long enough at sea 
to need a replenished larder, and even in that day we had 
many canned goods and French preparations, soups, etc., 
that kept up a creditable table for us in mid-ocean. There 
are few fish that a ship's cook or caterer will not try his 
hand upon by way of experiment and variety. 

Our sailing was now becoming slow and monotonous, 
as we were nearing the belt where storms and gales scarce 
ever intruded. We sometimes, however, had heavy rains. 
During a pouring downfall orders were given by the 
caterer to turn out the ducks that they might enjoy several 
inches of fresh water swashing our decks. They enjoyed 
it to the full, as their lively quacks testified. Then the pigs 
were marshalled out with orders to be scrubbed ! Such 
squealing was perhaps never before heard on a well-organ- 
ized ship, but it was a very amusing scene to officers and 
crew. Our voyage was necessarily a very slow one, being 
heavily laden with stores. We were peculiarly unfortunate 
in having to contend with light head winds. It was at this 
time my pleasure and privilege to read for the first time a 
book, then new, Captain Maury's "Physical Geography 
of the Sea." He mentioned rare instances of similar 
weather to that we had been having, and accounted for 
it in a scientific way, explaining that the heat of the Afri- 
can deserts cause there a vacuum, which the trade winds 
rushing to fill leave latitudes of the ocean subject to 
irregular winds and squalls, and the fine winds and weather 
we should have had were doubtless refreshing some wild 
Africans in their distant desert homes. I know it is very 
bad taste ever to differ with science, but I was almost 
persuaded to add to my science a little of a sailor's super- 
stition and to lay our ill luck in bad weather and deten- 
tion of voyage to the death or suicide of a favorite black 
pet cat on board. Some of the men in their kindness of 
heart overfed the poor beast with raw beef, whereupon its 
deranged digestion caused violent fits, and in one of these 



118 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

attacks overboard it went! But I would not like to 
acknowledge to my friends that 1 belonged or adhered too 
closely to my sailor brotherhood in their superstitions of 
''Flying Dutchmen," "black cats,'' "sailing from ports on 
Friday," etc. Bad weather, like many other ills, cannot 
last always, and before very long we were again sailing 
on smiling summer seas. I recall with delight, even at 
this distance of time, many of my beautiful watch hours 
on board the Store Ship Supply. Sometimes the morn- 
ing watch, with the sea as smooth as glass, a pleasant 
breeze and our good ship under all sail traveling at the 
rate of six or seven knots an hour, the stars brilliant in the 
blue vault above, the eastern horizon softly lighting up 
for the coming day, after which the glad sun in all his glo- 
rious majesty rose behind a well-defined cloud whose edges 
fringed with the brightest golden tint gave glory to God 
and peaceful gratitude to the heart of man. In these lonely 
watches a man's heart is filled with the haunting memories 
of home and loved ones, and one becomes transported 
there and holds sweet communion with home's inmates on 
winged winds of thought ! I remember reading at this 
time a book that interested me very much, Mcllvaine's 
"Evidences of Christianity." It is scarcely less charming 
than a book of more recent date, Sir Henry Drummond's 
"Natural Laws in the Spiritual World." 

We arrived in the city of Montevideo December 5, 1858. 
Soon after our arrival we were boarded by a boat from the 
Flag Ship St. Laurence, the officer of which informed us 
that we were the first vessel of the Paraguay expedition 
out from the United States. We had hoped to find the 
Frigate Sabine there with late news and letters from home. 
Of course the papers were filled with the prospect of war 
with Paraguay on account of indignities ofifered to the 
American Consul and our flag. Upon inquiry we found 
it was the current belief and the opinion we had formed 
ourselves, that President Lopez would readily apologize 
and treat upon equitable terms sooner than fight. He 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 119 

was said to be more willing to do this than to pay damages 
for the loss of American property. The English had lately 
called him to account for disrespect offered their minister. 
Lopez made amends, and it was the general opinion that 
it only required the arrival of our forces in full to have our 
troubles amicably adjusted. We soon had at anchor the 
Frigate St. Laurence, the Sloop Falmouth, the Brigs Perry 
and Bainbridge, and the day after we arrived the Steamer 
Fulton made her appearance, and shortly after the Water 
Witch followed. We took advantage of the first fair breeze 
and got under way for Buenos Ayres on the morning of 
the 8th. We had only gone about forty miles above 
Montevideo when the wind hauled ahead and we were 
obliged to anchor. The view here from deck was very sin- 
gular. Although the water was only about twenty-five feet 
deep, there was no land in sight, and but for the freshness 
of the water and its clay or mud color we might have 
imagined ourselves on the broad ocean. It took us about 
two days to make the trip to the city of Buenos Ayres. 
But our nearest approach to the town was about eight 
miles distant, on account of the shallow water. A few 
years previous to this even small boats could not approach 
nearer than several hundred yards, when horses and vehi- 
cles would drive out to take passengers to terra firma. At 
the time of which I write, however, affairs had wonder- 
fully improved in the completion of a long wharf, along- 
side of which the boats landed in comfort and convenience. 
There was another great achievement in the enterprise 
of the people, adding to the comfort of seafarers, in the 
running of a little steamer several times a day from the 
city to the shipping. It was both convenient and pleasant 
for us to take steamer and go to the city in the morning, 
spend the day sight-seeing or visiting and return to our 
quarters on board ship at night. 

The city of Buenos Ayres is one of the finest of the 
South American cities. It is the Capital of the State of 
its name, and also the Capital of the Argentine Republic 



120 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

or Confederation. It is on the western side of the La 
Plata estuary, which is about thirty or forty miles wide, 
and about one hundred and fifty miles from the sea. It 
has the very great disadvantage of trade in the difficult 
navigation of the La Plata and the want of a commodious 
harbor. It is also subject to the pamparos which sweep 
across the pampas from the Andes with relentless fury, and 
which I have before described as witnessing at Monte- 
video. There are some very handsome public buildings, 
notably the cathedral, which covers half a square, its walls 
being adorned with some of the finest pictures (from the 
old masters) known to Spanish art. The name, signifying 
fine or "pure air," would seem very indicative of good 
health, but the water, a most essential factor for good 
health, is not good. The numerous wells have a brackish 
taste, and the only really fine water is the cistern water 
gathered from the roofs of the houses of the rich, and 
apparently for their use alone. Living there must be 
very cheap, for the finest beef in the market only brought 
two or three cents a pound, and to see the fine animals in 
their slaughter pens that were to be sacrificed for their 
hides and tallow alone was both a surprise and regret to 
North American spectators. From these South Ameri- 
can ports we saw shipped, every few days, shiploads of 
horses, some very fine ones purchased here for a mere 
song, from ten to twenty dollars each, and carried to Cal- 
cutta or other ports in India for the use of cavalry in the 
India wars. Of course, it is easy to account for their 
cheapness, for it costs little or nothing to rear them, 
as the rich, luxuriant grasses on the pastures afford 
inexhaustible food for herds of horses and cattle. As 
a variety for our table, the caterer purchased some 
ostrich eggs, and we had omelette for breakfast, one egg 
taking the place of a dozen fowl eggs. I cannot say that 
our mess relished the omelettes much, they being very 
coarse in fiavor, wanting the delicacy that is always found 
in the poultry-yard luxury. -.4 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 131 

While on this cruise our men harpooned a porpoise, 
from which our cook gave us steaks, fried liver, and force- 
meat balls — quite a variety of dishes, but alas, they all 
savored of porpoise! Half-famished mariners have com- 
pared the meat to fresh pork, which comparison may hold 
good in the anatomical structure of the animal — also its 
habit of rooting in the mud and sand for food, from which 
it gets the name of "sea hog;" but the meat I should call 
something between tough beef and pork, with a decided 
flavor of fish oil, and since the caterer showed an economi- 
cal desire to save stores, our mess decided "we would 
have no more porpoise harpooned for this voyage." 

Of course we had a great amount of "war talk" each 
day on board ship, and always heard "current opinion" 
when officers went ashore. Lopez was not thought to be 
a coward, by any means, but he had great wealth, and had 
with his acquisitions cultivated a miserly love of "filthy 
lucre." It was thought by some that sooner than pay 
large damages he would fight the trouble out, while others 
thought he would wisely pay a reasonable amount and 
apologize. While we had not enough of the good old- 
fashioned "John Bull" in us to be "spoiling for a light," 
I think most of the squadron, officers and men, held them- 
selves in readiness to resent the insult to the "Stars and 
Stripes" and hold themselves a defense for American Con- 
suls, citizens, or seamen wherever found on foreign soil ! 



Chapter XVII 

Christmas at sea, or Christmas in a foreign land ! How 
different from the dear and happy season in one's own land 
and home. But I must not complain of that far-from- 
home Christmas in ''the backward distance of the past." 
The outcoming- vessels of the Paraguay Expedition 
brought out many near and dear friends of mine — Robert 
D. Minor, roommate, classmate, friend of my boyhood; 
Charles F. Fahs, Robert Carter (of the kingly Carters of 
Shirley), Captain Pegram, and many old and valued 
friends. Many of those friends that made bright that 
long-past Christmas in South America have gone before 
me to a home that is eternal ! I often think wonderingly 
if it be possible that any class of naval officers have ever 
formed so brotherly an attachment for each other as did 
the Class of 1841. 

Between Christmas and New Year we had fitted out 
with armament and stores the Steamer Fulton, which with 
Commodore Schubrick and suite, and our commissioner, 
Mr. Bowlin, was to proceed up the river, to be followed 
by the other vessels as fast as we could arm and store them. 
We learn that the Emperor of Brazil had dispatched a 
special minister to President Lopez to advise him to "pay 
all demands and avoid a collision with the United States, 
and should he be in want of funds Brazil would advance 
the required amount." This, of course, we were glad to 
hear, and gave some credence to, for we were very anxious 
to learn the prospect of the return of the squadron to the 
United States with a peaceable treaty with Paraguay. 

There is on shore at this place a very fine hospital, and 
attached to it a beautiful little chapel, to which several of 
us repaired, in one of our walks, seeing that great crowds 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 123 

were tending in that direction. We learned that five fair 
young ladies were to "take the veil," or become nuns. 
The chapel was lighted with two hundred or more large 
wax candles, reflecting a beautiful light upon the rich 
hangings of the altar and walls of the chapel and the gor- 
geous robes of the priests, of whom there were quite a 
number officiating. The services were very long and at 
times tiresome and monotonous, from being conducted in 
Latin, and the pantomime of the priests quite unintelligible 
to us, but the music throughout was very beautiful and sol- 
emn. The young ladies came in robed in purest white with 
wreaths of orange blossoms on their heads. After many 
prayers and much chanting by the priests they were led up 
one by one to the officiating high priest, and kneeling be- 
fore him received his blessing. After this he clipped from 
the heads of each three tresses of hair, one from each side 
and one from the top of the head. As a spectator I supposed 
this was to be done more thoroughly afterwards, and the 
young maidens would in being shorn of what St. Paul calls 
''a glory to woman" show their desire or willingness to 
give up the vanities of the world and the show and pride 
of life. After this ceremony followed more chanting, dur- 
ing which the maidens were led into the vestry-room, leav- 
ing the kneeling multitude a silent throng. In a few mo- 
ments they returned, the wreaths of orange blossoms 
gone, or replaced with plain long white veils, and on the 
shoulder each one carried a black wooden cross, three or 
four feet in length. This scene was very impressive 
indeed. To me it was a very sad one. This resignation 
in those so young of the greatest joys of life and the truest 
mission of woman ! Even the blessed privilege of being 
saints of holy firesides and happy homes, leading the hearts 
therein through her sweet influence and example to hap- 
piness and Heaven ! 

Among the last of the vessels coming out to the Para- 
guay Expedition was the Prehle, commanded by Captain 
Thornton A. Jenkins. The three lieutenants — Lowry, 



124 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Breeze and Minor — were old friends and classmates of 
mine, and I began to think strongly of volunteering on 
board this ship, that I might take my part in battle if such 
duty were necessary. The two frigates and the store ship 
were to remain at Montevideo, as they drew too much 
water to ascend the river to the rendezvous, Corrientes. 
1 think there is nothing a young man hates so much as 
inactivity and monotony. The weary weeks of waiting 
after all the ships were fitted out and filled with stores 
seemed something to be dreaded. In the event of war all 
that could be spared from the frigates, the Falmouth and 
the store ships would, of course, be sent up, but they must 
wait for further news. I determined not to wait. The 
Province of Corrientes is eight hundred miles up the river, 
and the rendezvous appointed was at the confluence of 
the rivers La Plata and Parana. I was very much pleased 
that permission was granted me to leave the Supply tem- 
porarily, and Captain Jenkins accepted my services. 1 
took up my quarters on the Preble, sharing the comforts 
of my friend Minor. The wind and tide not being very 
favorable, we did not leave Montevideo for a day or two. 
One afternoon Minor and I thought we would enjoy a 
stroll together through the beautiful public garden, "Mar- 
gat's," which is several miles from the city, a fashionable 
drive for ladies, and a very pleasant horseback ride for us. 
Having always been a lover of flowers, and wishing to 
make some return for the attention of the guide and gar- 
dener, I ordered a bouquet. He gathered, it seemed to 
me, from everything rare and beautiful, and a great quan- 
tity, till Bob begged me to stop him, whispering that my 
"bouquet might cost me five or ten dollars;" but I let him 
follow his own taste and discretion. Minor turned aside, 
still enjoying the garden, and I asked my indebtedness, 
and was amazed to find it about fifty cents. Of course I 
did not tell it, but had Bob's sympathy in consequence, he 
believing it to have been very costly. Now both he and 
I were married men, but our friend Breeze was visiting 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 125 

and enjoying as a young bachelor calls on the beautiful 
Spanish senoritas on shore, in love with half a dozen; so 
we determined, at Minor's suggestion, that our bouquet 
should give a great amount of pleasure, as he thought it 
had cost a considerable sum. Attaching a card, with 
name of fair one and compliments, we had the bouquet 
placed in Breeze's room as soon as we reached the ship. 
Breeze, being on shore in another direction, never found 
out the joke we played on him, and we never had the satis- 
faction of hearing his exclamations of delight over his beau- 
tiful bouquet. Minor was one of those large-hearted men 
with life and face all brimming over with the sunshine of 
his happy heart. A very "Nathaniel in whom there was 
no guile." I felt that I gained a great deal by my transfer 
to the Preble temporarily in the opportunity afforded me 
of taking the trip of six or eight hundred miles in the 
interior of South America. The Supply, after delivering 
eight heavy guns and a quantity of stores, was so very 
much lightened that it began to be hoped that she might 
be able to cross the bar and join the expedition. Much 
good was hoped to accrue from the display of a strong 
force to sustain our commissioner and the proof of easy 
access of our squadron hundreds of miles into the very 
heart of the country. Before we were able to leave Monte- 
video, on account of head winds and unfavorable weather, 
we heard of the arrival of our commodore and commis- 
sioner at Corrientes, the port where the whole squadron 
was ordered to rendezvous. Our passage up the river 
was very slow. On account of danger of the water 
shoaling we had sometimes to anchor and send the little 
Surveying Steamer Argentina ahead of us for soundings; 
and the Steamer Southern Star ordered to tow us not hav- 
ing much power, we were obliged to be very much gov- 
erned by the winds. We arrived at Colonia, a Httle town 
almost opposite Buenos Ayres, about the 20th of January. 
Here we had the encouraging news or report that "Presi- 
dent Urquisa, of the Argentine RepubHc, was acting as 



136 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

political adviser to President Lopez, of Paraguay, and was 
insisting upon amicable terms and an immediate treaty of 
peace." This made the prospect of war grow quite dim 
before our eyes and encouraged the hope that not a hos- 
tile gun would be fired. With the Empire of Brazil and 
the Argentine Confederation on our side we were safe. 

Sunday on board a ship depends very much upon the 
temperament of the person if it be a day of enjoyment. Of 
course there is the usual routine — muster, inspection of 
quarters, reading the Articles of War, etc. If there is no 
chaplain, the captain, if he is a religious man or desires it, 
usually reads the service, the crew attend if they wish and 
the officers almost without exception do; but the men 
without work or duty find light reading, or gather in 
groups and spin yarns for the general amusement of their 
fellow-sailors. I have often thought how beautiful it 
would be to see an entire ship's company influenced by 
religious principles, every man performing his duty with 
cheerfulness and alacrity. The efficiency of such a ship's 
crew would arrive at the height of human attainment. It 
is said of General Havelock, who has left a name mem- 
orable in history for deeds of gallantry and daring in the 
wars of India, that in selecting recruits for his command 
he was governed principally by the religious education and 
morals of the men, trusting to their making the best sol- 
diers. He gathered around him such a body of men that 
when deeds of valor were required, when any "forlorn 
hope" was to be carried, "Havelock's Saints" — as they 
were termed in the army — were always called upon. Thus 
will it ever be — true religion and heroism go hand in hand. 
In our late Civil War who were the heroes? — Stonewall 
Jackson and Robert E. Lee, Christian gentlemen. Chris- 
tian warriors, God's faithful soldiers and servants till their 
life's end ! 

In going up the Parana River we stopped at the town 
of Rosario, about a hundred and eighty miles from Buenos 
Avres. Breeze and I went on shore for a walk. We 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 127 

found it a town of considerable commerce and between 
fifteen and twenty thousand inhabitants. Upon first 
landing we found a species of crimson verbena, apparently- 
wild, and we imagined the flora of the country must be 
very bright and beautiful. The shrubs about the resi- 
dences were handsome and luxuriant and the vegetable 
gardens looked inviting and tempting, but upon leaving 
the outskirts of the town the country presented itself in 
one broad expansive view, a flat prairie with close-browsed 
grass dotted over with herds of cattle, horses, hogs, dogs 
and gulls. Such a landscape can be seen through this 
extensive country for hundreds of miles, with little varia- 
tion. There are immense slaughter houses, too, for the 
only articles of export are hides, tallow, horns and bones. 
The dogs and gulls so numerous were leading bandit lives, 
feeding upon the offal of the slaughter pens. Flowers 
were rare, and excepting the accident of brightness and 
beauty in the little red verbena that welcomed us at the 
landing place, we saw none. 

A day or two after leaving Rosario we learned from a 
passenger steamer that passed us with news from Asun- 
cion, the Capital of Paraguay, that the commodore and 
suite and our minister, Mr. Bowlin, had reached Asuncion 
and been graciously received by President Lopez, who 
evinced ever}^ disposition to have an amicable settlement 
of our difficulty, and to establish with us a new treaty. 
There seemed nothing now in our way unless the bom- 
bastic Spaniard, always conceiving it undignified to move 
or act with promptness, assumed a procrastinating slow- 
ness, for which he is noted. We arrived at Parana early 
in February, and our first news was "peace is concluded." 
Happy intelligence ! At four o'clock in the afternoon of 
the 6th day of February the captain invited five officers 
(myself among the number) to accompany him in full- 
dress uniform to call upon our minister, Mr. Yancey, and 
his family. His first salutation after greeting us was con- 
gratulations that a treaty had been concluded between 
Commissioner Bowlin and President Lopez, of Paraguay. 



138 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

After a pleasant visit to Mr. Yancey we accompanied him 
to be presented to President Urquiza. We found him an 
agreeable and accomplished gentleman. He had been the 
principal adviser of Lopez and had just returned with the 
pleasing news of amity. He visited our ship the next day 
at the early hour of six in the morning, with Mr. Yancey. 
We had a grand turn-out in full dress, manned the yards 
and saluted. The ladies visited the ship at ID o'clock, and 
in the afternoon we made ready for sailing to meet the 
returning commodore and commissioner. We had not 
long to wait. We met the Steamer Fulton with the party 
on the 1 8th of February, and were ordered to ''turn 
about" and follow the Fiilton to Rosario, the rendezvous, 
after which all would proceed to Montevideo, preparatory 
to fitting out for home. Arriving at Rosario on the 22d 
of February, we found the entire Paraguay Expedition 
anchored, "returning home from the war." It being 
Washington's Birthday, the ships were gaily dressed with 
flags, and at meridian a salute was fired by all the vessels 
of the scjuadron. In the afternoon I was detached and 
transferred back to the Store Ship Supply with the men I 
had taken with me. I was joyfully welcomed by my 
messmates, one claiming the old hat of Lopez, another 
his epaulettes, etc., all of which I had promised to capture 
in warfare and present as trophies on my return. Peace 
having been proclaimed I claimed exemption from the 
fulfilment of my promises so rashly made in view of war. 
I had a picture of Lopez, however, which caused a great 
(leal of amusement, and which now adorns an old scrap- 
l)ook. It is said not to be a caricature, either, though I 
really hoped it was, for it had no claim to beauty and very 
little to intelligence. The forehead is narrow and the 
lower jaw immense, showing more the look of a bon z'ivant 
than the leader and ruler of men and a republic — rather a 
despot at that ! We did not linger long at Montevideo, 
glad of our orders "homeward bound," and arrived in the 
city of New York early in May, 1859. 



Chapter XVIII 

A FEW short weeks of happiness at home, and the fourth 
of July found me under orders to "proceed without delay 
to the Pensacola Navy Yard and report for duty to Com- 
modore James McKay Mcintosh." While I should Hke 
to have had a longer leave, these orders pleased me, for 
they meant two years or more on shore, and it was the 
first shore-station duty I had ever been ordered to since 1 
entered the Navy. The position on receiving ship at 
Norfolk could scarcely count for shore duty, since I was 
on positive duty and not able to leave the ship at least one 
half or more of the time. The Yard at this time was one 
of the most beautiful and attractive in the United States. 
It was handsomely laid out, with a very wide, well-paved 
center walk, which led from the wharf to the commodore's 
residence; half way up this walk was an archway formed 
by the building in which the stores were kept. The com- 
modore's was the center house, with six handsome resi- 
dences on each side, which were occupied by officers ac- 
cording to rank. Surrounding these houses were beau- 
tiful grounds, filled with tropical plants, lading the air 
with perfume of jasmine, heliotrope and violet at most 
seasons of the year. A wide brick pavement ran the entire 
front length of the thirteen houses in row, giving great 
comfort and convenience, and well-kept parks or grass 
plats delighted the eye in front. In the center of these 
parks were two octagon buildings, one containing the 
offices and the other the chapel of the Navy Yard. 

In the ship yards on the right of the landing were being 
built or nearing completion the fine Sloops of War Pensa- 
cola and Seminole, which were launched during that sum- 
mer. To the left of the landing were the residences of the 



180 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

junior officers and quarters of the men. Outside the 
Yard gate on one side was the little village of Warrington, 
built up for the convenience of trade, and through which 
we passed to the naval hospital, and beyond the hospital 
was old Fort Barancas, famous for having been built by 
the Spaniards. The United States Army officers and 
their families sojourned at Barancas, and were within 
pleasant visiting distance of the Yard, and many were the 
social civilities exchanged. General Winder was in com- 
mand of the Fort. Lieutenants Gilmore and Slemmer were 
the officers next in command, both of whom took active 
part and rose to high rank in the Civil War on the Fed- 
eral side. At the time of which I write the thought of 
war scarcely showed itself, even as a speck on the mental 
horizon of the wise and far-thinking men of national repu- 
tation. Few, I think, would have allowed themselves to 
believe that our differences could not be settled, if brought 
to issue, on the floors or in the halls of Congress. Our 
commander at the Navy Yard was E. Farrand. He was 
of Northern extraction, but his heart was in the land and 
State of his adoption, and his loyalty and bravery in time 
of need was very earnestly given to the State of Florida 
and the Southern cause. Next in rank was the first lieu- 
tenant, Chas. W. Hayes, of Alabama. I filled the place 
of second, or junior, lieutenant. Dr. Bishop was surgeon. 
Purser Warrington (a son of the commodore of that 
name) was paymaster. He was a clever gentleman. Rev. 
Chas. W. Thomas, our faithful and efficient chaplain, was 
very much respected and beloved by officers and men. 
The master of the Yard was Captain Pearson, and Mr. 
Porter was the naval constructor. To his inventive brain 
some believe we are indebted for the original idea of the 
ironclad, brought into service some years later. Porter 
was a very modest man, of few words, and not being on 
the "side of the strongest artillery," or the winning side, 
of the Civil War, he died shortly after its close almost 
penniless. Mr. Abert, a very cultivated, pleasant gentle- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 131 

man, was civil engineer, with Mr. Alexander as assistant. 
Mr. Gonzales was the storekeeper. The commodore's 
secretary and nephew, Lachlan H. Mcintosh, resided in 
his household. These dozen or more families, combined 
with hospital and fort families, being within visiting dis- 
tance of the city of Pensacola, made up a very delightful 
society, and the incoming ships for repairs or rendezvous 
added gaiety and pleasure of every kind. The commo- 
dore's receptions were as grand events of their kind as the 
entertainments of the exclusive "four hundred," so pater- 
nally watched over by the late Ward McAllister, and eti- 
quette was strictly observed upon every occasion by him. 
Of course we kept open houses, to which our brother offi- 
cers coming in from sea were warmly welcomed at any 
time, and where they were glad to spend their evenings, if 
only to be reminded of distant homes and as happy fire- 
sides ! 

This Navy Yard, being the only one south of Norfolk, 
was kept very busy, and did a great deal of work for the 
Gulf Squadron, the work always being very ably done. 
Although cut off in a great measure from the rest of the 
world and in a port of Hmited commerce, we lived in great 
comfort and luxury. The waters afforded us the finest 
fish and oysters in the world, and the surrounding country 
furnished us abundance of game, such as wild turkey and 
venison, and we had very fine poultry of every description. 
Gophers were abundant, we buying them by the barrel, 
and sea turtle were a luxury sometimes brought in by the 
ships. The country people kept us supplied with fine 
fruit in the season, and the little coasting schooners made 
the tropical fruits a daily enjoyment, especially pineapples 
and oranges. The flowers in this congenial climate make 
a wonderful growth. I began a little conservatory, 
through the kindness of Mrs. Farrand, a great botanist 
and lover of flowers, and my next-door neighbor, and by 
the time I could bring my family to the Navy Yard, the 
first of November, the plants had grown not inches but 



132 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

feet in height. Jessamines, geraniums, heliotropes, and 
many lovely plants looked as though my little greenhouse 
had been "a thing of beauty" for several years. 

There were several very pleasant and notable families 
residing in Pensacola at this time who were on sociable 
terms at the Yard, among them Senator Mallory (he was 
afterwards Secretary of the Confederate States Navy), 
Major Chase, an Army officer, and the charming widow 
of Commodore Dallas. This lady was the sister of 
Madame Murat, the widow of Achille Murat, whose father 
the first Napoleon had made a king. When Napoleon 
III. came to the exalted position his uncle had occupied 
he did not forget the past, and Madame Murat was invited 
to his Court, and made a visit there during the reign of 
the beautiful Eugenie. While we were residents at the 
Navy Yard a very brilliant social event occurred in the 
city of Pensacola — the marriage of Senator Mallory's 
charming daughter Maggie to a gentleman of Bridgeport, 
Connecticut. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Florida 
performed the ceremony, which was very impressive. He 
specially wished the young couple and the assembled mul- 
titude to know (or to remember) that in the Roman Catho- 
lic Church there was no such thing known or allowed as 
divorce ! That literally and most solemnly the vows they 
were taking upon themselves were holy, and that the ties 
indissoluble; that those whom God and His Holy Church 
had joined together, no man, or laws of man, "could put 
asunder." 

Social life at the Navy Yard and Fort was really the 
ideal life perfected — so many warm and brotherly attach- 
ments as then existed between the officers making the 
interest in their famihes deep and abiding with its under- 
current of sincerity and affection. It is so pleasant to look 
back and see in memory my loved friend Minor, the gal- 
lant Maffitt, dear Willie Whittle, Eggleston, true as steel, 
Gillis, and so many that shared those early days, sitting 
in comfort on my wide verandas, tossing my little sons 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 133 

about, or walking with them in their arms, or hstening to 
their sweet prattle with keen relish and delight, some with 
homesick longing, no doubt, for their own "lares and 
penates." Maffitt was a widower at this time; with a 
true sailor's appreciation and admiration for the female 
sex it was no wonder that he was a great favorite every- 
where. But the summer was wearing away, and the latter 
part of it found the shadow of death hovering over the 
beautiful Navy Yard in the declining health of the com- 
mandant, my relative. Commodore Mcintosh; also the 
angry clouds of war were gathering ominously to burst 
upon us and our beloved Southland in a few short 
months ! Ah, little did we surmise then that the next 
spring, as Nature was crowning herself with verdure, there 
would open for us four years of desolating war through 
which nothing could have sustained us but the holy fire 
of patriotism that burned on the altar of our hearts, sacred 
to love and home ! War to a disappointed end, with 
nothing to comfort or uphold the spirit in defeat but the 
consciousness of duty eagerly and nobly done in the cause 
that we deemed just, and true, and right! But I antici- 
pate. 

We were still living happy Hves in quiet homes when 
illness came, and then death, to claim as his own the noble 
spirit of Commodore James McKay Mcintosh. He died 
on the 4th of September, i860. For nearly fifty years he 
served his country, and literally "died in harness." A 
man of Southern birth and parentage, a compeer of the 
gallant Tatnall, Buchanan, and many other noble officers of 
his date and age, one can conceive the pain he would have 
borne in severing (as they did) the ties and duties of fifty 
years' service under a flag he loved and honored. But 
death spared him any sacrifice of feeling, and in the sunset 
glory of his days, honored and respected in his profession, 
and by his fellow-men, we laid him in a temporary tomb, 
till Georgia, his native State, claimed what remained of 



184 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

her noble son, and early in March, 1861, he was buried 
with his ancestors at old Midway Churchyard, Liberty 
County, Georgia. 

"Close his eyes, his work well done. 
What to him is friend or foeman, 
Rise of moon, or set of sun, 

Hand of man, or smile of woman ! 

"As man may, he fought his fight. 
Proved his truth by his endeavor. 
Let him sleep in solemn night, 
Sleep forever and forever ! 

"Fold him in his country's stars. 

Roll the drum and fire the volley, — 
What to him are all our wars, 
What but death bcmocking folly? 

"Leave him to God's watching eye. 

Trust him to the hand that made him. 
Mortal love weeps idly by — 

God alone held power to aid him !" 

In the latter part of December I obtained a month's 
leave of absence and repaired to Macon, Georgia, where 
my wife and children were in her father's home, and here 
I was when the State of Georgia held her convention. I 
went to Milledgeville and was present when the ordinance 
of secession was passed. I at once forwarded my resigna- 
tion to the Government 1 had served from early boyhood, 
and espoused the cause of my State, deeming it my sacred 
and honorable duty to take this step. I did not cjuestion 
my heart as to the pain involved. I knew it would be the 
severance of many pleasant ties and manly friendships. 
From this time my life seemed divided into two parts, and 
so I will divide this history of my life. 

At the beginning of the Civil War I seemed to leave 
my youth and the service of the country I had faithfully 
served for almost twenty years, far behind me in the past; 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 



135 



and life began anew for me, stern and sacred duties, to 
which I gave myself with the best ability at my command. 
I wish in the second part of this my narrative to give to 
history and posterity the truth of the cruises of the Con- 
federate Ships Sumter and Alabama, and the part it was 
my privilege to take and share as executive officer of both 
in their glorious and successful work. 



PART SECOND 
Chapter I 

"A long remaining glory 
Of things that now are old!" 

Captain Marryat in one of his very entertaining 
books tells his hero to "give his memory leave [or oppor- 
tunity] to take a stroll." This advice I often take to my- 
self, having arrived at the age when one loves to dwell 
upon the past, especially its brightest scenes, and people 
the halls of memory with friends and pictures that seem 
more dear and bright than the panorama that is daily 
passing before our eyes, for pictures graven on the heart 
need no camera to revive them or make them live again. 
The year i860 (and some months of the year before) 
passed at the Pensacola Navy Yard are very dear to mem- 
ory. There with the sharer of my destiny we presided 
over the first home we called our own. We had many 
little experiences that were very amusing to us, and frit- 
tered away a great deal of money on pineapple jam, brandy 
peaches, elegant preserves, jellies and pickles, which, 
adorning our store-room shelves, were the next winter to 
find their way into the Confederate soldiers' hands at the 
surrender of the Yard, My wife still rejoices that they 
fell into their hands instead of the enemy's, and hopes they 
enjoyed them! We often talk of the back country that 
fed the Pensacola Navy Yard as a veritable "Land of 
Goshen," and its remembered luxuries seem as did the 
"flesh pots of Egypt" to a famishing, exiled people. We 
there rejoiced in all the dainties and good living of land 
and sea. Our fish car never became empty; the oyster 



138 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

boats were daily replenishers; the country people brought 
in wild turkeys and venison occasionally, domestic fowls 
of every kind, with splendid fruit in season; and the little 
schooners brought the West India fruits to our wharves. 
We kept "open house" and hospitality knew no limit, for 
with the best old negro cook that Georgia could produce 
our housekeeping was an endless pleasure. The cook 
was very ambitious that her young mistress should equal, 
if not surpass, the oldest housekeepers in the Yard, and 
she was the youngest ! Her energy was untiring and her 
zeal wonderful. She listened patiently to the reading of 
"Soyer," and if she could not understand his French dishes, 
she at least tried to rival them, and soon learned to make 
the Spanish omelettes, filled with the sweet bell peppers 
chopped into mincemeat, to perfection. We found we 
had something to be proud of in our cook and our house- 
keeping. 

Bob Minor, Jack Cooper, John N. Maf!itt, Willie Whit- 
tle, "Youngster" Eggleston, and many others, dear friends 
of the past, were daily with us, and unless Bob made our 
baby boys sick with too much candy or his favorite "gum 
drops," we had nothing to disturb the brightness of our 
home. Occasionally we "showed ofif" in a grand dinner 
in honor of some of my senior officers. 

But these pleasures were doomed to be shortlived, as 
the cloud of war was rising above the horizon and we 
were nearing conflict that we little dreamed would plunge 
us into the dreadful war of four long, bitter years; when 
the South would fight the world, with no hand stretched 
out in friendly sympathy to aid, and at last give up, un- 
conquered, from sheer exhaustion and despair ! 

The 20th of December, i860, found me on my way to 
Macon, Georgia, where my family had preceded me to 
spend the coming hoHday season at home. The 19th, as 
I was journeying, news came over the wires that the State 
of South Carolina had upon that day seceded from the 
Union. To some it seemed appalling. To others, burn- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 139 

ing with patriotic zeal, the step seemed none too hasty for 
resenting our sectional grievances, and in all there seemed 
a desire to do one's duty by one's own home and State. 
Mississippi soon followed the example of her plucky sister 
State, withdrawing on the 9th of January, 1861. Ala- 
bama two days later passed her ordinance of secession, 
and upon the same day — January 11 — Florida withdrew 
from the Union. At this news I returned to the Pensa- 
cola Navy Yard for the gathering up of my household 
effects, for we had left our home with the pictures hanging 
on the walls, everything as we had occupied it, and our 
faithful old cook, Maria, in charge of the establishment — 
she and Poll, the parrot, having a very lonely time. I 
found great changes. Our house, being untenanted, was 
made headquarters for the Confederate officers, for the 
Yard had surrendered in my short absence. Commodore 
Armstrong had retired and Commodore Victor M. Ran- 
dolph had taken command. Our neighbor, Mrs. Farrand, 
had gone into our house and, with motherly care, removed 
the pictures and bric-a-brac, taking all to her own home, 
including our silver and valuables. The Confederate offi- 
cers were very civil and polite to me. I got permission 
to remove all that was mine from the house, but much had 
to be left and sacrificed for want of transportation. The 
uncertainty of the future movements of those still in the 
Yard made purchasers scarce, though I did sell the good 
cow, that had been a great comfort to us, for a twenty- 
dollar gold piece. I bade adieu to this beautiful home, its 
frames and verandas covered with evening glories in full- 
est bloom, and the conservatory filled with rare exotics, 
with a feeling of lingering regret. We had been so happy 
there, and the future, with its lowering clouds of war and 
turmoil, promised no compensation (though fortunately 
we could not foresee its disasters and woes!) for our van- 
ishing happiness. 

On the 19th of January, 1861, I attended the State Con- 
vention of Georgia, witnessed her withdrawal from the 



140 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Union, went to the hotel and wrote my resignation (with- 
in an hour from her secession) to the Government of 
the United States, waited its acceptance, and then offered 
my services to Governor Joseph E. Brown. If not the 
very first, I was among the first to take this step. Com- 
modore Tatnall was in command at Sackett's Harbor. 
He being the senior naval officer in the State of Georgia 
was of course later, on his return, put in command of her 
naval forces; but just now there was no Navy. 

Governor Brown accepted my services, and commis- 
sioned me to proceed to Savannah, purchase a steamer, 
take command of her, and hold myself in readiness for har- 
bor and coast defense. The secession movement of Geor- 
gia drew her sons to her soil, and soon all were within her 
borders. The gallant Tatnall, Charles Morris, my inti- 
mate friend and senior; the young Armstrong brothers, 
Wilbourn Hall, Graves, Stone, all came home to abide by 
the decision of their State and to share her fortune for 
good or ill ! 

Through old letters of daily correspondence at this 
time (February, 1861), I find this item: "The Everglade 
returned to Savannah to-day. She has her papers correct, 
so that the purchase will probably be closed to-morrow, 
when I will take command. She is to be called the 
Savannah. I have twenty-five men shipped, and hope to 
make up the fifty men required before I leave." 

On the 28th of February I write : 'T took command of 
the Steamer Savannah this afternoon, with ofificers and 
men numbering forty-five. I have only three watch offi- 
cers — Midshipmen Armstrong, Hooper and Merriwether 
— but I hope to have Lieutenant Armstrong before we 
sail. I am making every exertion to leave here by Mon- 
day or Tuesday next, but find so many repairs and out- 
fits to be made that it will be as much as I can possibly do 
to be ready by that time. I am occupied every moment 
of time, but hope in a few days to get things regulated." 
My first duty was to go to Fernandina, and with permis- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 141 

sion of Governor Perry, of Florida, to take two guns from 
that point to Fort Pulaski. On March 22d I write: "I 
have just arrived in Savannah and find that Commodore 
Tatnall is here. I shall report to him in the morning. 
Charles Morris's steamer, the Huntress, has arrived. He 
will probably get off for duty in a week or ten days." 
March 25th : "The commodore visits this steamer to-mor- 
row, and will take a trip down to Fort Pulaski." Early 
in April I find this item: "While at Brunswick to-day, 
received orders from Commodore Tatnall to 'proceed to 
Savannah without delay.' " The Monday previous to this 
date I record : "A very black and threatening cloud mak- 
ing its appearance in the western sky late in the afternoon, 
and rapidly covering the heavens, by 8 o'clock it became 
so very dark I had to anchor under the north point of 
Sapelo Island. Finding it bright and clear the next morn- 
ing I got under way, and at 3 o'clock in the afternoon I 
anchored ofi old 'Sunbury,' the home of my childhood. 
The terror-stricken inhabitants were sure the 'Yankees 
were upon them.' " One man took to the woods, and not 
until I went on shore and made myself known would they 
believe themselves safe. I was then welcomed heartily, 
and a Mr. Anderson, whom I found living in our old house, 
kindly offered his vehicle and profifered to drive me to 
Captain Abiel Winn's (whose wife was my relative). I 
spent a very pleasant evening with the family and the ven- 
erable Colonel Maxwell, much beloved in that county. 
Upon my return to Savannah I received orders from Com- 
modore Tatnall "to go at once to St. Simon's Island and 
take the Jackson Artillery from that point to Savannah." 
This company were from Macon, commanded by Captain 
Theodore Parker, First Lieutenant Charles Nisbet. Offi- 
cers and men were the flower of chivalry of Georgia's 
central city. In these later years I have heard many amus- 
ing anecdotes related of the members of this interesting 
company. To meet Dr. Mataner, then its efficient young 
surgeon, and Judge James T. Nisbet, an honored member 



142 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

of the company, and hear them ''spin yarns," as I am told 
they do in memory of those patriotic days, must be a genial 
social treat. The handsome Lucius M. Lamar, one or 
both of the Blooms, and many others of Macon's favorite 
sons belonged to this company and were "illustrating 
Georgia" at this time. I landed them with guns, equip- 
ments, and baggage in safety in Savannah. Captain 
Parker received orders to leave the guns, and his company 
were granted one week's leave of absence. The following 
day I received orders to proceed to Sunbury, taking on 
board my little steamer to that point the remains of Com- 
modore James McKay Mcintosh, which had been brought 
from Pensacola (where they had been temporarily in- 
terred) by his nephew, Lachlan H. Mcintosh, and which, 
through the interest of his native State and by Act of the 
Legislature, were to find a final resting place in the burial 
ground of his ancestors in old Midway Churchyard, Lib- 
erty County. His relatives, Major William Mcintosh, 
Lachlan H. Mcintosh, Judge McQueen Mcintosh, of 
Florida, his nephew, John McQueen Mcintosh, of Darien, 
and myself were privileged to accompany these remains 
as escort. In honor of this event the Savannah Morning 
News correspondent, of date of April i8th, says: 

The remains of the late Commodore Mcintosh arrived in Sunbury, 
Liberty County, the place of his nativity, on Tuesday, the i6th inst., for 
final interment in his native county. The body was convej'ed from 
Pensacola by railroad to Savannah, in charge of his nephew, Lachlan 
H. Mcintosh, and thence in Steamer Everglade (or Savannah), Captain 
Kell, commander, to Sunbury, accompanied by the relatives of the de- 
ceased. It was here received by the Liberty Independent Troop, with 
appropriate remarks by Mr. W. C. Stevens, a member of the corps, and 
briefly responded to by Captain Kell. After the ceremony of reception 
was over it was escorted by the L. I. Troop to the cemetery at Mid- 
way, nine miles distant, its final resting place. 

An impressive and appropriate prayer was offered at the grave by 
Rev. C. C. Jones, D.D., and after interment a wreath of roses and olive 
branches, entwined by the hands of Mrs. Jones, suspended from the 
headstone of the grave. I herewith transmit copies of the addresses. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 143 

a publication of which in your columns would no doubt be gratifying to 
the friends of the lamented dead. 

ADDRESS OF MR. STEVENS. 

Captain Kell : Permit me as the organ of the Liberty Independent 
Troop to express to you their just appreciation of the service which 
brings you to these shores, and their heartfelt co-operation in the funeral 
obsequies of the occasion. In the social relations of life, loved and 
esteemed by his friends for his kindness of heart and manly qualities. 
Commodore Mcintosh was to most of us personally unknown, but his- 
tory has recorded his public career and his grateful countrymen are 
ready to award that meed of praise which is the just tribute to merit. 
By reference to an excerpt of his life we find that he entered the naval 
service of the United States, September, 1811, and for a period of forty- 
nine years continued in the active exercise of different vocations, passing 
through the various grades of service — midshipman, passed midshipman, 
master, lieutenant and commander- — as rapidly as the service would 
admit. Although never engaged in actual hostilities (if we except the 
first period of initiation into service) we find him during a reign of 
national prosperity in offices of important trusts and great responsibility, 
requiring the exercise of sound judgment and a character distinguished 
for fearlessness of danger. In 1821 he was attached to an expedition 
under Captain Kearney for the extermination of pirates on the West 
India coast. In 1851, after receiving his commission with the rank of 
captain, he was ordered to the command of the U. S. Frigate Congress, 
attached to the Brazil Squadron under the command of Commodore 
McKeever. Soon after this he was removed to the command of the 
Naval Station at Sackett's Harbor, where he remained till 1857, when 
by order of the President of the United States he became fiag officer of 
the Home Squadron. This command was conferred at a time when 
British fleets in Southern waters became exceedingly troublesome by 
attempting to board and search American vessels, but by prudence, 
judgment, a dignified courtesy, and firm determination, he vindicated 
and maintained the position his country had ever taken against the 
right of search, and received for his conduct his country's unqualified 
approbation. Subsequent to this period Commodore Mcintosh was 
placed in command of the Navy Yard at Pensacola, in which station 
he expired on the first of September, i860. Here closed his earthly 
career, almost up to the point of the dissolution of the Government 
which he had always served with fidelity and honor, and upon the eve 
of a great and momentous revolution. Had Commodore Mcintosh sur- 
vived to see this day it is not difficult to surmise what would have been 
his position in the recent inauguration of political events. Had he lived 



144 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

to behold the Confederate flag of these Southern States thrown proudly 
and defiantly to the breeze, his ardent and true Southern heart would 
too surely have reflected the sentiment of its emblematic colors — valor, 
purity, and truth. But, sir, while we may regret the necessity that 
sunders the bonds of earthly existence and view with sorrow from life's 
circle its gems drop away, we must bend to an inexorable fate and bow 
with submission to the Will of Providence ! "The boast of heraldry, the 
pomp of power, all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, await alike 
the inevitable hour. The path of glory leads but to the grave." And 
now, sir, with hearts alive to the duties of the occasion we bid you wel- 
come here, and thrice welcome the mortal remains of the gallant Com- 
modore James McKay Mcintosh to a final interment in the soil of his 
native State, and the county of his birth ! 

To this I replied : 

Gentlemen of the Liberty Independent Troop and Citizens of Lib- 
erty County: In behalf of the widow and children and the relatives of 
the deceased I tender you their warm and heartfelt acknowledgments 
of the consideration and respect thus shown to his memory. It would 
have been a satisfaction (melancholy, it is true) to his old comrade-in- 
arms, and brother friend, the gallant Tatnall, to have responded to the 
kind words that have been spoken. It was his intention and earnest 
desire to accompany the remains of his deceased friend to their last 
resting place, but danger threatens our people and he stands at his post 
ready to meet it. His duty to his State alone prevents his being here, 
and I know that the noble spirit of his late comrade looks down from 
Aloft with responsive sympathy and approval. Again do I thank you 
in behalf of the family and friends of the gallant departed, and beg to 
present as one of his relatives my own warm appreciation of your sym- 
pathy and consideration. 

My command in the service of my State was destined to 
be a very short one. I had two or three more trips south- 
ward, inchuhng a very pleasant Sunday, when we anchored 
off Cumberland Island, and I spent a few hours with my 
friend Mr. Nightengale and family. On returning to 
Savannah, headquarters for reporting my movements, the 
last week in April, I received "confidential orders" from 
the Confederate Government at Montgomery to "report 
to Captain R. Semmes, at New Orleans, without delay." 



Chapter II 

The first day of May I parted from my family at Macon, 
Georgia, as I thought for a few short months, but as it 
proved in the Providence of God, and in the Hne of my 
duty, for three years and four months of the most eventful 
period of my life. Fort Sumter had surrendered and the 
times were assuming a warlike aspect, foreshadowing our 
years of deadly strife. Of this great war I do not propose 
to write a history. Abler pens than mine have under- 
taken this work, some satisfactorily. The book written 
by my great commander and senior, Admiral Semmes, — 
worthy an honored place in the library of every cultivated 
American, — discussed the questions of national and politi- 
cal significance of those troublous times. I only wish to 
give to posterity and to history in these recollections of my 
life the part it was my duty and my privilege to act in the 
great drama of the Civil War between the States. I trust 
I have in some measure outlived the animosities of those 
"times that tried men's souls," at least sufficiently so to 
hold the impartial pen of truth, without which history (no 
matter how sensationally or attractively adorned or be- 
decked) must be utterly valueless! 

Arriving in New Orleans on the third day of May I 
reported for duty to Captain Semmes, who had preceded 
me by a week or ten days. During a long talk with him 
I found that a steamer had been purchased by the Con- 
federate Government, which he was to command, and that 
at his request I had been ordered to this vessel as executive 
officer. I found her a neat, fast passenger steamer that 
could be converted into a vessel of war, but many altera- 
tions were required for this purpose. The captain had 
immediately upon arrival commenced this work of re- 
10 



146 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

modelling. I found her at Algiers, the shipyard across 
the river, and as many workmen as could be employed 
were cutting away the light passenger cabins, strengthen- 
ing decks for supporting the battery, and shaping her for 
her destined work. This was no easy task to perform with 
the appliances at our command. Our pivot gun, whose 
unique carriage and circles was constructed of railroad 
iron, — the ingenuity of whose construction was due to the 
inventive genius of Mr. Roy, — proving the truth of the 
trite old adage, ''necessity is the mother of invention." 
Our 32-pounders (four in number, as broadside guns) were 
furnished us from the Norfolk Navy Yard, but the gun 
carriages had to be improvised, and were very creditably 
gotten up by our mechanics at the shipyard. 

In a few days all our officers reported for duty and were 
detailed for superintending work in the different depart- 
ments. With the great disadvantages under which we 
labored our work progressed slowly, and consumed much 
more time than we anticipated. During this detention in 
fitting our ship for sea the enemy had secured a blockade 
of the mouths of the Mississippi River, quite effectually 
making the hope of our escaping lessen day by day, but 
the delay was unavoidable. About this time we had a sad 
accident, resulting in the loss by drowning of one of our 
young officers. Midshipman John F., Holden, of Tennes- 
see. While performing the difficult task of taking out an 
anchor for the Sumter, as she lay in the swift current of the 
Mississippi, his boat capsized, and before assistance could 
be rendered three of the crew, with himself, were drowned. 

On the third of June work had progressed sufficiently 
for us to put the Sumter in commission. Our colors were 
presented by some fair ladies of New Orleans. After 
completing our outfit we invited on board a number of 
prominent citizens of New Orleans, together with the 
ladies who had presented our flag, to accompany us on a 
trial trip up the river, when ^yJe^ested the speed of the 
ship and the quality of our .-battery, both of which proved 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 147 

quite satisfactory. On the i8th of June we steamed down 
to the barracks below the city to take in our powder, and 
that night, with a beautiful moon shining, we continued 
our passage down the river and by daylight next morning 
came to anchor ofT Fort Jackson. Here we remained sev- 
eral days, exercising our crew with the battery. 

Although our crew were most of them fine sailors, they 
were not "men-of-war's men," and had to be drilled at the 
guns. Our crew at this time consisted of 92 men, 20 of 
whom were marines. Our of^cers were as follows : 

Commander, Raphael Semmes; First Lieutenant, John 
M. Kell; Lieutenants, Robert T. Chapman, John M. Strib- 
Hng, William E. Evans; Surgeon, Francis L. Gait; Pay- 
master, Henry Myers; Captain's Clerk, W. B. Smith; Lieu- 
tenant of Marines, B. Howell; Midshipmen, Richard F. 
Armstrong, William A. Hicks, Albert G. Hudgins, Joseph 
D. Wilson; Engineers, Miles J. Freeman, William P. 
Brooks, Mathew O'Brien, Simeon W. Cummings; Boats- 
wain, B. P. Macasky; Gunner, Thomas C. Cuddy; Sail- 
maker, W. P. Beaufort; Carpenter, William Robinson. 

On the 2 1 St of June we hoisted anchor and dropped 
down to the head of the passes for the purpose of taking 
advantage of the movements of the blockading fleet. The 
Frigate Brooklyn was at Pass a la Loutre and the Powhatan 
was at Southwest Pass. To our great annoyance we had 
some difficulty in getting a pilot. Captain Semmes dis- 
patched an officer to the pilot's station with a written 
demand that a pilot be sent immediately on board the 
Sumter. They furnished a very inefficient one, who, when 
the opportunity offered, declared that he knew nothing 
of Pass a la Loutre. Captain Semmes, realizing that the 
opportunity could not be allowed to pass, sternly ordered 
him to ''take us out, and if he ran us ashore or put us in 
the hands of the enemy he would swing him to the yard- 
arm as a traitor." This threat convinced the pilot that 
Captain Semmes "meant business" and could not be trifled 
with, and alarmed him very much, but at the same time 



148 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

we hoisted a pilot signal. This opportunity was given us 
by the Brooklyn giving chase to a vessel off the harbor. 
All hands were called to "up anchor," and the engineer 
ordered to get up steam. This was eagerly obeyed. 

Our crew had been so tormented with the heat and mos- 
quitoes in the river below New Orleans that they begged 
to go to sea and fight the enemy, rather than endure such 
torture, with consequent loss of sleep and rest. We were 
soon on our way. As we approached the pilot station we 
saw a small boat shove out from the shore, and in less 
time than it can be told the boat was alongside of us and 
a line thrown out to pull it to our gangway without stop- 
ping our headway, and the next moment a stalwart young 
fellow jumped over our side and took his position at our 
pilot stand, saying, "give her all the steam she can carry." 
During this time at the pilot station handkerchiefs were 
waving and all eyes turned in that direction saw the pilot's 
young wife and sister were waving him and us God-speed 
and success ! This was the last we were to see of the 
South and our native shores for long months and years ! 

As we approached the bar there was a vessel ashore 
with hawsers across the stream to haul her off, which by 
signal of the pilot were slackened up to allow us to pass. 
As we rounded this point of the bar the pilot said : "Cap- 
tain, she's all free; give her hell and let her go." Order- 
ing his little boat to haul alongside, the next moment he 
and the old pilot (now supremely happy) jumped in, cast 
off their lines, and pulled for the shore. The Brooklyn 
was now approaching us (having given up her chase) 
under full steam and sail. We shaped our course to the 
east, hugging the wind as close as our yards could brace, 
and putting on all the steam we could carry. We had the 
advantage of the Brooklyn in laying closer to the wind and 
thus eating to windward of her. With a smooth sea we 
held our own, and after a chase of forty miles she fired a 
gun, which fell short, and putting up her helm and clewing 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE U& 

Up all sails she gave up the chase and steamed quietly back 
to her anchorage at the mouth of the passes. 

Seeing- our advantage, and being greatly relieved, we 
manned our yards and gave "three cheers for the Southern 
Confederacy!" All hands were ordered down to "splice 
the main brace," in other words, to take a drink to the 
success of our cause. The next order was to secure our 
guns and anchors for sea, always keeping a bright lookout 
for sails, as of course we were now in the track of the 
enemy's cruisers. We made a pleasant run that night, 
and the next morning, the second day of July, was a lovely 
day. We shaped our course to pass to the south side of 
Cuba, not sighting any sail, for which we were thankful, 
as we wished to pass out of the land-locked waters of the 
Gulf. 

On our third day out a sail was reported from the mast- 
head standing to westward. As she approached her Hues 
and sails satisfied us that she was the enemy's ship. We 
rapidly neared her and fired a gun and hove her to. Captain 
Semmes sent a boat on board, with which the captain re- 
turned, bringing his papers. She hailed from Maine, "way 
down East," and was named the Golden Rocket. She was 
in ballast on her way to Havana for orders. The captain 
upon being told that his ship would be burned expressed 
great sorrow, which touched our hearts. He stated "that 
he had lost one ship, and now to have this one destroyed 
he would be a ruined man, and could never hope to have 
another command." He was told to return to his ship, 
gather up the goods and chattels of his own and the crew, 
and the ofificer in charge of the boat directed to set fire to 
the ship. Seeing his ship in flames he shed tears, and we 
were so sympathetic we at once made up a purse for him. 
It was a sad sight to sailors' eyes, the burning of a fine 
ship. We had not then grown accustomed to the sight 
with hardened hearts. Some weeks afterwards we read 
through the Northern papers his account of the capture, 
in which he denounced us as pirates, etc. This proved a 



150 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

check to our unappreciated generosity and closed our sym- 
pathetic hearts to future expressions of woe on the part of 
our enemies. 

The following day, continuing our course eastward, we 
descried two sails, apparently brigantines. We fired blank 
cartridges to heave them to. They proved to be Ameri- 
can, loaded with sugar for English ports, one named the 
Cuba and the other the Machias. We placed a prize crew 
on one and took the other in tow. We could not burn 
them, as their cargo was neutral, so we determined to take 
them to Cienfuegos and place them in the hands of a prize 
master till their capture should be proved legal. Our 
midshipman, the prize master in charge of the Cuba, inad- 
vertently went aloft to look out for land, and a portion of 
his crew proving treacherous, he was shot and wounded 
and had to surrender. The other brig we had to cast off 
(and put in the hands of a prize master) to accelerate our 
movements to make other captures. The same afternoon 
we took the Adams, of Massachusetts, and the Ben Dun- 
ning, of Maine. We put prize crews on board and directed 
them to hold on to the light-house at Cienfuegos till day- 
light. At that time, as we anticipated, several other sails 
came out with the land breeze. We allowed them to pass 
beyond the marine league, which is the limit of neutrality 
by international law. By lo o'clock a. m. we had cap- 
tured three more ships, two barks, named, respectively, 
West Wind, of Rhode Island, and Louisa Kilham, of Mas- 
sachusetts; also the Brigantine Naiad, of New York. 
When we set sail we had quite a little fleet proceeding to 
Cienfuegos. On passing the fort the commanding officer 
fired over our heads two ball cartridges from muskets 
and directed us to come to anchor, our prizes going on. 
We dispatched an officer to the fort to demand an ex- 
planation of this conduct. The officer replied that "our 
fiag was a strange one among the nations of the earth, and 
having never been seen in these waters before he could not 
let it pass." Tn a short time the commandant at the fort 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 151 

called upon Captain Semmes, with permission from the 
Governor of Cienfuegos to proceed to the town. We 
ordered one hundred tons of coal to be brought to us in 
launches, and in thirty-six hours we were ready for sea. 
The captain visited the shore to take observations to test 
his chronometers, taking with him the junior lieutenant. 
Upon their return on board we made ready for sea, leaving 
about midnight. 

Our course was now shaped for the Island of Barbadoes, 
from there for Cape St. Roque, where we hoped to inter- 
cept the northern trade for the Pacific and the East Indies. 
The trade winds, however, were so strong against us, as 
well as the current, that after seven days out, finding 
our coal nearly exhausted, we had to resort to sail, and 
hoisting our propeller we sailed with the wind a point free 
for the Island of Curacoa, which lay to leeward of us. We 
encountered some very rough weather on this passage, 
but on the 17th day of July got up steam and reduced sail 
to enter the port. We made signal for a pilot, who came 
ofT to us late in the evening, but after ascertaining our 
nationahty he informed us "that it was too late to get up 
to St. Anne (the little town), but he would come the first 
thing in the morning to carry us in." Upon his return to 
shore and advising the American Consul of our nationality, 
the consul entered a protest against our being allowed to 
come into port, regarding our war as a rebellion. Captain 
Semmes, feeling justly incensed, wrote a letter to the Gov- 
ernor of the Island asking that he give a written statement 
that Holland had closed her ports against the Confederacy. 
If such were the case he wished to report the same to his 
Government. Lieutenant Chapman delivered this letter 
in person. A parley of all the Island officials was held, 
and in two hours Chapman returned, with the news that 
we could enter port. We steamed in, passing through a 
small entrance, almost like a canal, with hotel and stores 
on either side, opening into a little lake. We rounded to, 
let go our anchor, hoisted our boats and spread awnings, 



153 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

and a few minutes after were surrounded by bumboats 
ready to supply us with fruits, vegetables, and everything 
pertaining to the tropics. Our purser was dispatched to 
purchase, and we at once set to work, with lighters along- 
side, to coal ship. The water here is so beautifully clear 
and transparent that one of the amusements of our men 
was to throw silver coin of the smallest size in the water 
and see the little boys — the street "gamin" of the town — 
dive for them and bring them up from water fathoms deep 
before they reached the bottom. 

The American Consul gave us some trouble here, tam- 
pering with our men and trying to induce them to "desert 
from the piratical craft." After coaHng, watering ship, 
and laying in fresh stores, we left this Httle land-locked 
harbor, trying our course to the eastward, against the 
strong trade wind and equatorial current. We stood over 
to the Spanish Main to intercept the trade with that coast. 
Early on the morning of the following day "sail ho !" was 
cried from aloft, and by half-past six o'clock we had cap- 
tured the schooner Abby Bradford, loaded with flour and 
provisions, bound for Puerto Cabello. There was no mis- 
taking the "cut of her jib" — she was a "down Easter." 
We took her in tow and proceeded to port. In the even- 
ing we cast off the Bradford, with orders for her to hold on 
to the light, as we did. There being Hght land breezes 
and no current, we easily held our position all night. The 
next morning Captain Semmes communicated with the 
governor in regard to leaving the prize in the port till 
properly disposed of. The governor objected most de- 
cidedly to this, whereupon the captain concluded to run the 
risk of sending her in to the Confederacy with her cargo 
of provisions, placing on her an intelligent quartermaster, 
who had some knowledge of navigation. He was to take 
her in by the western passes to New Orleans. In making 
this attempt, approaching too near the passes, she fell into 
the hands of the enemy, and our prize crew were taken 
prisoners, but were not long in being released or ex- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 153 

changed. We got clear of the harbor, and it was not 
long before we discovered a sail in sight. We chased her 
seven or eight miles and finally captured her. She was a 
bark bound for Puerto Cabello, a part of her cargo belong- 
ing to a Venezuelan merchant of that city, and was named 
Joseph Maxzvell. Captain Semmes hoped to induce the 
governor to allow the vessel to remain as a prize till law- 
fully adjudicated, he giving up the neutral portion of the 
cargo. The governor, being influenced by the American 
Consul, disputed the capture as within the marine league. 
This being so foreign to the truth or facts, Captain 
Semmes decided to place a prize crew on board, with Mid- 
shipman Hicks in charge, to take her to a Cuban port to 
be placed in the hands of our agent there, then with his 
crew to make the best of his way to the Confederacy. 

We now put out under steam to continue our voyage 
eastward, and to avoid the current setting westward we 
hugged the coast of Venezuela with its high mountains 
running up from the sea. By this track we avoided the 
trade winds and partook of some of the influence of the 
land breeze. In making this trip we encountered heavy 
rain with violent thunder storms and vivid lightning. In 
these waters we passed over the coral reefs surrounding 
the islands called the "Friars," from their resemblance to 
monks' heads. Looking down in the pellucid waters one 
sees exquisite landscapes and fish of every brilliant hue. 
I am sure that Jules Verne could never have visited these 
enchanted waters, or we should long ago have been treated 
to a description of them from his marvelous pen. The 
next land we sighted was the ''Dragon's Mouth," three 
islands so called from their peculiar shape. Through 
these we passed and entered the port of Spain on the 
Island of Trinidad. On this island is that wonderful freak 
of Nature, a lake of pure asphalt, a liquid almost as black 
as jet, which since that day commerce has made wonder- 
fully useful. 



164 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Upon my visit to the shore with a brother officer, walk- 
ing in the principal street of the town, what was my 
surprise to be greeted by name. A former resident of 
Savannah, Georgia, whom I knew in my early youth, had 
become a resident of this island. Mr. Cunningham was 
very cordial in his greeting and invited us to his house to 
tea. There we had the pleasure of meeting his sister, who 
was making a home for him on the distant Island of Trini- 
dad. Their comfortable house was literally embowered 
with vines, and sat enthroned in the most beautiful and 
luxuriant tropical foliage. We enjoyed the evening with 
them very much, and they no doubt enjoyed the talk of 
old friends and their loved former home in Savannah, for 
I was able to give them late news, having had my head- 
quarters in that city when in command of the little steamer 
Savannah, I being on duty there when ordered to the 
Sumter. We were allowed to coal here, which delayed us 
only a day or two, after which we continued our course to 
the eastward, passing through what is called the "Mona 
Passage" from the Caribbean Sea into the broad Atlantic. 

The coast of Trinidad is very picturesque and mountain- 
ous — one might almost say precipitous — and Nature there 
seems evergreen, so bountiful and beautiful is the foliage 
of shrubs and trees. As is usual in such countries and cli- 
mates, bird life is very abundant and the plumage gor- 
geous and beautiful. Water fowls, pelicans, etc., and in 
the interior parrots and paroquets and the brilliant little 
humming birds fill the air. We were told that there was 
a small species of deer on the island, but we had no time in 
our busy cruise to devote to the pleasures of hunting, and 
the chase to which we were to devote ourselves was the 
chase of ships, and not of the harmless denizens of the 
forest ! 

We pursued our course, contending with wind and cur- 
rent (which were both against us and increased daily), with 
a clear sky overhead. Thus we ran on for some days, 
when it became evident (our coal running short) that we 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 155 

would have to seek a port to leeward. Captain Semmes 
ordered the fires banked and sail to be made, shaping our 
course to Cayenne, in French Guiana. There we hoped 
to re-coal, and from there continue our course to our de- 
sired cruising ground for intercepting the trade which 
passes around Cape St. Roque from the Pacific and East 
Indies — in other words, all the trade south of the equator 
bound to Northern ports. As we approached Cayenne, 
the Capital of French Guiana (also a penal settlement of 
France at that time), we found a pilot-boat waiting to take 
us to a suitable anchorage. Shortly after we arrived we 
heard salutes being fired, and upon inquiry found it was 
in. honor of the birthday of the French Emperor, Louis 
Napoleon, it being the 15th day of August. We found 
Cayenne and its people rather inhospitable, and we could 
make no purchase of coal, so we proceeded down the coast 
in the direction of Dutch Guiana. The water on this coast 
is very shallow, averaging from three to five fathoms. We 
passed some beautiful islands. On the crown of one of 
the islands were some guns mounted, and a fine looking 
building, which we learned was a French hospital or sani- 
tarium for sick soldiers and sailors. 

On Sunday, the i8th of August, we approached the 
mouth of the Surinam River, when the lookout reported 
a steamer standing towards us. We at once got up steam 
and beat to quarters, to be ready for a fight if necessary. 
All the indications were that she was about our size and 
battery; but our anxiety was somewhat relieved by her 
coming to anchor about nightfall. We now came to 
anchor and the crew were allowed to leave their quarters 
and turn in for a rest, not knowing "what a night might 
bring forth." The next morning we got under way at 
dayhght. We exchanged colors with the steamer. It 
proved to be a Frenchman, bound up the river for Para- 
maribo, as we were. They got a pilot from the light- 
boat and we followed close in their wake. We steamed 
up the river, the scenery of which resembling that of 



156 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Southern rivers, with sugar plantations on either side, but 
far more tropical, even, than our Southern waters. 

Paramaribo is the capital city of Dutch Guiana, and what 
strikes one most about the city is the growth of the tama- 
rind tree, of which there are beautiful avenues on every 
side. It somewhat resembles the live oak tree, though it 
does not grow to such size or spread its branches to the 
extent of that grand tree. While at Paramaribo we had 
a ball given in our honor by the ''merchant princes" of all 
classes, without even the distinction of color. Indeed, the 
coal merchant who favored us most was a quadroon, and 
quite a gentleman, having been thoroughly educated and 
cultivated in Holland. The daughters of this man were 
among the prominent belles and beauties at this ball, be- 
decked with diamonds and attired in handsome Parisian 
gowns, and were very graceful in the dance as they were 
led through its mazy intricacies by our brass-buttoned, 
lace-bedecked young officers. "When one is in Rome 
one should do as Rome does," etc. One striking feature 
of the ball, as the evening and exercise grew warm, was 
the waving of perfume holders, which was very refreshing. 
At a late hour we repaired on board ship, feeling that we 
had enjoyed rather a novel experience at the hands of our 
hospitable entertainers. But "variety is said to be the 
spice of life," and life has many phases. 



Chapter III 

Having completed our coaling, we made sail the fol- 
lowing day, coasting prudently along to avoid the cur- 
rents as well as the coral reefs, that are so dangerous on 
that coast, taking advantage of the winds as much as 
possible to save our coal. We felt our way to the south- 
ward and eastward, making for the port of Maranham in 
Brazil, We rounded Cape Garupi, ofif which we found 
very uneven soundings, causing us to draw out as the 
soundings shoaled, and came to anchor that night in the 
open sea. The next morning, upon heaving up our 
anchor, we found it broken from the pitching of the ship 
and the surging of the windlass. Not seeing any pilot- 
boat, we continued our course under constant use of the 
lead and line, drawing ofT as we shoaled the water. Sud- 
denly we ran upon a reef, which gave a shock to all on 
board. The engine was stopped and reversed, when the 
influence of the tide in this reversed condition swung us 
clear. Some fishermen about half a mile from us made 
attempts to warn us of our danger, whereupon we at once 
came to anchor and sent a boat for one of them to come 
and pilot us. To our great relief he did so, and with this 
aid we hove up anchor and stood in for the town of Maran- 
ham. There we arrived safely, through an almost miracu- 
lous escape from wreckage on the coral reefs. Our little 
ship showed no evidence of injury. 

We arrived in Maranham on the 7th of September, a 
gala day to Brazil, — as the 4th of July is to America, — 
the day of Brazilian independence and establishment of 
an empire. The customary official visits were paid, and 
here Captain Semmes took a little needed rest in a refresh- 
ing visit to the shore, while we coaled, provisioned, refitted 



158 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

and repainted ship. The men were given ''liberty days," 
and the officers enjoyed their strolls ashore, where they 
were hospitably received and entertained at the various 
city clubs, and met many pleasant people. The middle of 
September found us ready for sea, and getting a pilot on 
board we left the harbor under favorable auspices, and with 
pleasant recollections. The following day found us out 
of sight of the coast of Brazil, and in a favorable position 
to intercept the trade, which had been the object of our 
cruise for some months past. 

We now let the steam go down and uncoupled the pro- 
peller and cruised under sail. After some days sailing we 
encountered some most remarkable phenomena in tidal 
waves and currents, which would occur at certain hours 
of the day. Like a wall of water, roaring and foaming in 
its approach like a cataract, it would toss the little ship 
about like a plaything, making it difficult to keep one's 
footing. As often as I had crossed the equatorial line I 
had never before witnessed these tide-rips. As they 
rolled to the northward and westward all would become 
calm again. After remaining in this latitude and longi- 
tude for a few days, one morning the cry of ''sail ho !" was 
reported from the masthead — a very welcome cry, for the 
quiet of the calm belt was growing very monotonous. 
Hoisting the "Stars and Stripes" from our peak they were 
replied to by the same flag. As the brigantine approached 
near enough to hail we hauled down the United States 
flag and hoisted our own, requiring him to "heave to." 
We found the vessel the Joseph Parke, of Boston. We 
kept the Parke for awhile, putting Lieutenant Evans and 
a prize crew on board, to be used as a scout. To our 
astonishment we found the ocean almost devoid of the 
enemy's flag, and after keeping the Parke a day or two 
longer we concluded to make use of her as a target before 
burning her, which was her final fate. It was a great 
disappointment to us to find this highway of trade almost 
deserted by the Federal vessels, for we had long looked 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 159 

forward to reach this cruising ground, with hope of great 
success. The neutral ships were abundant, but the enemy 
had grown wary. One Httle EngHsh Brigantine, The 
Spartan, resembled the Yankee so closely that we gave her 
a long, stern chase. We made her "heave to" with the 
American flag at our peak. Upon boarding her we found 
her a Nova Scotian, with clean hull and long, tapering 
mast. The captain (no doubt out of patience with the 
chase we had given him and not in the best of humor), 
upon being asked the latest news, told us "we [he sup- 
posed we were Yankees] had been whipped like the devil 
at Manassas;" and he did not seem at all sorry for it ! Our 
boarding of^cer remarked upon his apparent "want of 
sympathy," w^hen hke a true Briton he replied, "I like 
pluck, and never like to see a bully try to whip a little fel- 
low." Of course w^e enjoyed the joke, and so did he. 
We continued in this latitude some days and encountered 
more of the tide-rips, and some very tempestuous weather 
as we were nearing the northeast trade winds. We passed 
through a curious phenomenon of Nature in a cloud of 
yellow dust, being precipitated apparently from the skies 
on our decks. 

On Sunday, the 27th of October, while enjoying a fine 
morning and a smooth sea, "sail ho !" was cried from the 
masthead, reporting a gaff topsail schooner, with taut 
mast and white sails, showing her Yankee build. As soon 
as we could get up steam we began chase. We found her 
very fast and the chase was a long one. When near 
enough we fired a blank cartridge across her bow, which 
brought her to with the "Stars and Stripes" flying at her 
masthead. Upon boarding her she proved to be the 
Daniel Trowbridge, from Connecticut, with a cargo of 
provisions for the Spanish Main. This capture gave us a 
full supply of the nicest provisions, of which we were much 
in need, — beef, pork, all the canned vegetables and fruits 
from the Northern markets, with crackers and breadstuffs 
of the finest quality, and a deck load of live stock, such as 



160 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

pigs, sheep, and geese. The transfer consumed a day or 
two, but was very welcome work to Jack, and gave us sev- 
eral weeks' provisions. 

We now steered for Martinique, and soon after entered 
the harbor of Fort de France. After coming to anchor 
HP of^cer was dispatched to pay the official call on the 
commanding officer of the port, the French Admiral 
Conde, governor of the island. He received our officer 
very courteously, and showed a kindly disposition to the 
Confederacy and our struggling cause. The next day 
Captain Semmes called upon him and obtained permission 
to land prisoners and get a supply of coal. This being a 
military port we had to go to St. Pierre to purchase from 
the market, having sent our purser ahead to secure the 
same on reasonable terms. We weighed anchor and 
stood for St. Pierre, where we came to, close in shore, 
with our anchor in deep water and a hawser securing our 
stern to the shore, where we lay comfortably to coal and 
have some necessary repairs done to our machinery. 
After coaling ship and waiting for repairs we heard from 
recent newspapers of the capture of Messrs Mason and 
Slidell, forcibly taken from the English Steamer Trent by 
Captain Wilkes, of the United States Steamer San Jacinto. 
Such a high-handed measure on the part of the United 
States Government elated us with the belief that war with 
England would ensue, not supposing for a moment that 
Seward (the shrewd statesman) would apologize or give 
up his prisoners after the approval and commendation of 
the people of the Federal States and Congress, and by the 
Honorable Secretary himself, of this action ! This act 
was too flagrant a violation of the laws of nations to pass. 
Earl Russell was very positive in his instructions to Lord 
Lyons to "demand an apology to be made within seven 
days, or return with his legation and papers to London." 
This act of course would mean a declaration of war, and 
England would have been sustained by the European 
povvers, but the Secretary of War humbled himself and 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 161 ^ 

the Nation and he made the apology demanded. The 
Confederate ministers and their secretaries were given up 
and the South lost the opportunity of recognition and an l) X 
ally, much to our disgust. /"^AJ^ 

But to proceed with our cruise. I leave history to re- 
cord the facts that led to the immediate restitution-'-of the 
Confederate ministers, Messrs. Mason and Shdell. 



11 



Chapter IV 

Martinique is one of the Windward group of islands, 
is of volcanic formation, running from north to south, and 
is in a higher state of cultivation than the islands that sur- 
round it of that group. Its harbors are indentures in 
the land formed on the west side, and protected entirely 
from the trade winds. St. Pierre, its mercantile port, 
runs from the top of the mountains down to the sea, and 
the streets being paved so as to leave a gutter in the center 
of the street, shower of rain washes them clean. In 
the rear of the city are fine botanical gardens, filled with 
tropical plants. The grounds are beautifully laid out, 
with inviting springs here and there, charming grottoes, 
and everything to please the eye and taste. Twenty-four 
hours after we arrived at St. Pierre the Federal steam 
Sloop of War Iroquois came in, evidently in search of us. 
She came near enough for us to see the great excitement 
on board when she found us in port, with the Confederate 
flag flying at our peak. We saw the telescopes brought 
to bear upon us, and their evident delight at what no doubt 
seemed to them their nearness to a long-desired capture. 
On board the little Sumter there was a fiery spirit of resist- 
ance manifested. Every man looked after his side arms, 
and made application for putting in order their short 
Roman swords with which they were armed as boarders. 
It was remarked on board that "so nice an edge was put 
upon these swords that they might have been used to 
shave with," and by sunset every man was anticipating, if 
not desiring, being boarded. The Sumter was snugly 
moored with a long scope of chain ahead and the stern fast 
to a tree on shore. The Iroquois anchored and communi- 
cated with the shore. Upon being informed that if she 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 163 

anchored she would have to remain in port twenty-four 
hours after the departure of the Sumter, in accordance with 
international law, she got up anchor and stood out of the 
harbor. As night advanced, however, she drew in to the 
shore, and about ii o'clock made evident demonstrations 
of boarding us, as she was heading for us under a low head 
of steam. All hands were called to quarters on the Sumter, 
the guns were cast loose and trained upon the enemy, and 
boarders called away. At this time the Iroquois rang a 
bell from her engine room and sheered off from us. It 
was only a feint, or possibly a change of purpose upon see- 
ing we were not to be surprised, but ready to resist. She 
rang her bell as signal to go ahead slowly, and steamed 
out of the harbor. This was our first night's experience, 
and in the morning Captain Semmes communicated to 
the governor her strange proceedings. The governor 
then communicated to Captain Palmer, of the Iroquois, 
that he should require him to observe the neutrality of the 
port and keep beyond the marine league. We noticed 
the boats of the Iroquois plying between that vessel and an 
American schooner at anchor in the harbor, and learned 
from acquaintances on shore during the day that an officer 
from the Iroquois was stationed on the little schooner to 
give signals of our movements. This was also reported 
to the governor, but no action taken on it, and the espion- 
age continued. 

We were now through with our coaling ship and repair- 
ing and were anxious to get to sea. Every evening at 
sunset all officers and men were required to be on board 
and steam gotten up, in readiness to make good our escape 
if the opportunity offered. We had one drawback, the 
moon and stars were not in our favor, and not until the 
ninth day of waiting did we find that the night would be 
sufficiently dark for us to attempt to get out. On the 
night of the 23d of November everything was in readiness 
and all hands called to get the ship under way — the ar- 
morer with tools for slipping the cable, the quartermaster 



164 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

with axe to cut the hawser from the stern, and the engi- 
neer with steam up, the firing of the 8 o'clock gun being 
the signal to go ahead. All this was promptly done, and 
at firing of the gun the little Sumter bounded off like a 
thing of life. Captain Semmes had a little stratagem of 
his own to carry out. He steamed across the city lights 
so that he could easily be seen at full speed steering south. 
Our lookout, instructed to report signals from shore, now 
reported two red lights, which we interpreted as going 
south. After running a short distance out southward 
we got under the shadow of a very prominent boulder, 
stopped the engines, and while so concealed changed our 
course to the northward. Our glasses on the Iroquois 
showed her steaming rapidly southward, and before morn- 
ing we were many miles apart ! Poor Palmer, we heard, 
paid for his want of success by being relieved of his com- 
mand. After this night of great anxiety we shaped our 
course for the broad Atlantic. The enemy's cruisers in 
the land-locked waters of the Gulf were active in pursuit 
of us, as we found from captured papers, and Captain 
Semmes now decided to make our way to European 
waters. 

Our frail bark was built and intended for only one night 
at sea in the run from New Orleans to Havana and the 
voyage across the Atlantic was a severe test of her sea- 
worthiness. Our course was now to the northward and 
eastward, which soon put us in the track of commerce 
betwe,en Europe and the West Indies. We were chang- 
ing from the temperate to the tropic zone, in which lati- 
tude we experienced much changeable weather. The sec- 
ond day out we sighted a large ship standing in our direc- 
tion and evidently of American build. We fired a gun 
across her bow and hoisted the American flag. She hove 
to, with Stars and Stripes at her peak, and upon the cap- 
tain being brought on board with his papers she proved 
to be the Montmorency, of Bath, Maine, from England, 
loaded with coal for the English mail steamers that touch 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 165 

at St. Thomas. She was bonded and allowed to proceed 
on her way, as she was carrying neutral property from a 
neutral port. 

The following day we took the Arcade, a schooner from 
Portland, Maine. There being no papers to prove the 
property neutral, we applied the torch to her and she 
burned finely. By this prize we learned of "Dupont's 
grand naval victory at Port Royal," where a fleet of war 
vessels nineteen in number, with at least thirty transports 
containing fifteen thousand men, captured two mud forts 
and a few hundred raw recruits ! We now let our fires go 
down, lowered the smoke-stack and uncoupled the pro- 
peller, and put the Sumter under sail, as our coal was be- 
coming exhausted and we were not half way across the 
ocean. On the 3d of December we sighted another prize. 
As she was running down to us we had no chase to make, 
and hoisted the French colors. When under our guns we 
hove her to with a blank cartridge, and sending an ofHcer 
on board she proved to be the Vigilant, of Bath, Maine. 
We got late papers from the North by this ship, contain- 
ing full accounts of "the blockade of the pirate Sumter by 
Captain Palmer," but no account of his want of success! 
There was also a graphic description of Commodore Hol- 
lins's gallant exploit in introducing the ironclad ram at 
the mouth of the Mississippi (in October) into the enemy's 
fleet, which consisted of the Preble, the Water Witch, the 
Richmond and the Vincennes. While these vessels all 
escaped except the concussion to the Richmond (which 
was the ship assaulted), the experiment proved of great 
benefit to the enemy, whose unbounded resources enabled 
him to introduce the Monitor with more favorable results 
later in the war. The crew of the Vigilant were equally 
divided as to color, and were messed accordingly, all 
seated at the same mess-cloth. This making no distinc- 
tion as to color was very amusing to our crew, but seemed 
to make no difiference to our prisoners. 



166 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Our next prize was the Ebcn Dodge, from New Bedford, 
a whaler, bound for the Pacific Ocean. From this prize 
we took a good supply of fresh water, of which we stood 
greatly in need, also took stores, clothing and provisions. 
We took her two fine whaleboats during a rough and tem- 
pestuous sea, and after the arduous work of transferring 
cargo, burned the ship. The weather continued change- 
able and the falling barometer indicated a coming stomi, 
which we prepared for by sending down light spars and 
sails, and on the night of the nth of December the gale 
broke upon us in all its fury. We now put the Sumter 
under close reefed top-sails and try-sails. The wind and 
fur}'- of the storm increased to such a degree that I was 
called by the officer of the deck. Some of our bow ports 
were being stove in. I summoned the carpenter and his 
crew and barricaded the ports, and strengthened her in 
such a manner as to resist the violence of the waves and 
prevent our gun deck from being flooded. For several 
hours the gale was furious, but as day dawned the wind 
and sea moderated sufificiently for us to bear away under 
our fore-sail, and we ran before a fast following sea. This 
experience in the Sumter, from the unseaworthiness of the 
little craft, surpassed in danger even the violent typhoon I 
experienced many years before in the China Seas in the 
United States Steam Frigate Mississippi, of which I 
was master at the time. The bad weather continued 
and we were buft'eted about with heavy westerly 
gales, and spent our Christmas Day in mid-ocean, 
nothing to mark it to poor Jack but an extra "tot 
of grog," which is known to the sailor as "splicing 
the main brace." It was so disagreeable that we did not 
even have muster and inspection, holiday occasions on 
board ship. After passing through about two weeks of 
this monotony we had a change of wind from the east- 
ward. Being in the track of the European trade, we 
sighted and boarded a number of vessels bound west, but 
not an American among them. On the 30th day of De- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 167 

cember we spent the entire day boarding ships of various 
nationalities. The only compensation for this trouble 
was that we learned w^hat was going on in the outside 
world, from which we had been so cut off of late, and 
through the courtesy of the many ships we received many 
late and interesting newspapers. The "Trent affair" was 
largely discussed in most of them. American war news 
was occupying the press of the world. We then learned 
of England being called upon to mourn the sudden death 
of "Albert the Good," the lamented Prince Consort. 



Chapter V 

Our next port of entry was the beautiful and commodi- 
ous harbor of Cadiz, which we reached early in January, 
1862. We put the ship under steam, and after getting a 
pilot on board proceeded up this beautiful bay, passing a 
strong fortification on our starboard side. We had our 
colors flying, and were saluted by many vessels at anchor 
in the harbor. We were soon boarded by the health ofB- 
cer, reporting our ship clean and our men well. Captain 
Semmes communicated with the United States Consul 
through letter conveyed by the health officer, that we had 
a number of prisoners on board, crews from the different 
ships we had destroyed, and he desired, after paroling 
them, to turn them over to his care. The consul at first 
refused to take them, but after communicating with the 
American Minister at Madrid he was instructed to receive 
them. We were glad to free our decks of the additional 
numbers that crowded and inconvenienced us. 

After getting rid of our prisoners. Captain Semmes ap- 
plied for permission to go into dock, as we were in a leaky 
condition. This was refused, with peremptory orders to 
"leave the port within twenty-four hours." The captain 
positively declined to do this, and urged that he be allowed 
to put his ship in seaworthy condition before venturing 
to sea again. Another communication with Madrid, and 
we were allowed to go into dock. Next day we proceeded 
up the bay about eight miles, where we found everything 
in readiness, and in a very short space of time we had the 
little Sumter in dock. Upon close inspection we were 
pleased to find we had not suffered as much as we thought 
from running on the reefs entering Maranham. There 
was no injury done to her bottom except displacing a por- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 169 

tion of her false keel and rubbing off some of her copper. 
The troublesome leak proved to be at the journal of the 
propeller, and was soon repaired. While in dock we had 
a great deal of trouble with our crew. Cadiz proving very 
charming, and the inveterate Yankee Consul putting in his 
work, several of our crew were induced to desert, and we 
left the port of Cadiz minus half a dozen men. On our 
return to our anchorage off the city the captain made ap- 
plication to the authorities for the return of our men, as 
we were informed that they were sheltered at the Ameri- 
can Consulate; but we could get no satisfaction, and on 
the 17th of January we set sail for Gibraltar. As we left 
the port of Cadiz we saw a Spanish boat with an officer 
in her bow waving a formidable looking yellow document. 
It was reported to Captain Semmes. He gave orders to 
take no notice of it, but increase the speed of the ship. We 
had been so coldly received in Cadiz that we cheerfully 
took leave of that port, with no regret at leaving. During 
the night we ran far enough out to hold on to the light, 
but after midnight we got up steam for our run to Gibral- 
tar. In all my cruises in the old Navy it had never been 
my good fortune to enjoy the charming cruise in the 
Mediterranean. The Pacific, the South American waters, 
the Gulf, and the far-distant China Seas, — all but the very 
enjoyable Mediterranean, — had fallen to my lot. As we 
passed the Pillars of Hercules before entering the strait, 
I found much to interest and charm me. 

We made the light at Gibraltar just at day dawn. As 
soon as we had light enough to use the telescope we 
scanned the horizon to see in what company we might 
shortly find ourselves — whether friend, foe, or neutral. 
We soon discovered two sails that looked very inviting 
for a chase — too inviting, indeed, to be resisted. We 
chased one for about two hours. It proved to be the Bark 
Neapolitan, of Kingston, Mass., with a cargo of sulphur for 
Boston. The cargo was protected in a measure by being- 
consigned by Baring Bros, to their agent in Boston, but 



170 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

sulphur was contraband of war, and possibly the reputed 
agent a partner. So Captain Semmes very wisely decided 
to burn the ship. We transferred the prisoners as quickly 
as possible, for there was another sail in sight, of Puritani- 
cal whiteness, the "cut of whose jib" we thought we recog- 
nized. We took time, however, to transfer some of the 
beautiful fruits belonging to Baring Bros, to our various 
messes. FigSj raisins, oranges, and other fruits fresh from 
Sicily were very tempting ! The second sail was the Bark 
Investigator, of Maine, her cargo iron ore. She was bound 
for Wales. Finding her cargo British, we released her 
under ransom bond. The chase of these vessels had con- 
sumed many hours, and lured us away miles to the east- 
ward of Gibraltar. Between two and three o'clock we 
turned our head in the direction of the rock, and about 
seven o'clock in the evening, under the full blaze of Europa 
Point light, we steamed in and anchored under the shadow 
of the renowned historic rock. It had been a day of 
fatigue to all on board, and we were only kept up by the 
excitement of chase and our surroundings of activity, so 
the night of rest was gladly welcomed. If I may be for- 
given the liberty, instead of using my own descriptive 
powers (which are poor, at best), I will here give a pen 
picture of this point in the words of an eminent divine, 
Rev. Robert Barrett, of Atlanta, who is also a great trav- 
eler, and I imagine a great lover of Nature : 

We entered the Bay of Gibraltar at daybreak. Jupiter seemed to 
rest on the crown of the great rock that loomed above the sea. Below, 
like sleeping sea birds, lay the dark hulls of many a steamer, ship and 
gunboat. I was amazed at the marvelous beauty of Gibraltar. Grim 
as it appeared from the water, we found it a flower garden where we 
began to drive along the tortuous road that winds up to the top. Every 
crevice in the rock seemed to blossom. Such fuchsias, such geraniums 
I never saw before ! At the foot of the rock is a town of 20,000, Span- 
iards and Moors. The shops and streets present a most novel and in- 
teresting appearance. The garrison is composed of 6000 red coats. 
This great rock, 1400 feet high, is hollowed out. A series of galleries 
or tunnels are cut on the inside, about ten feet back from the outer wall 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 171 

of the precipice. These galleries are pierced every forty feet, for cannon 
and for light. Still further in the rock are great chambers full of am- 
munition and provisions sufficient for five years. Thus while this vast 
mountain of stone is covered with flowers, it fairly bristles with unseen 
guns. Between Gibraltar and Spain is a strip of neutral ground, flat, 
unused, barren, useless, like all neutrality ! The view of the bay and of 
the sea from the top of Gibraltar is quite as fine as the Bay of Naples. 
The snow-crowned summits of the Sierra Nevadas are distinctly seen. 
The solemn, far-off mountains of Africa suggest mystery. The Medi- 
terranean seems to say, "I mean History." The Atlantic, vast and 
majestic, stretches toward the West. 

If Cadiz tried to freeze us out and gave no hospitable 
hand to "the stranger at her gates," we were fully com- 
pensated for the mortification by the warmth of our recep- 
tion at Gibraltar. Our "English cousins" warmly wel- 
comed us. Even while obliged to observe a strict neu- 
trality, this did not interfere with the social enjoyment of 
our sojourn among them. We were not unexpected vis- 
itors at the port of Gibraltar, for the news of our trouble at 
Cadiz had preceded us, and the chase we made for the 
Neapolitan had drawn crowds to the signal station to wit- 
ness the capture, and subsequently our little bonfire had 
created a great excitement. Soon after anchoring we 
were made the usual tender of service from the admiral 
of the port, and had sent a boat to report ourselves to the 
health officer. By ten o'clock the next morning officers 
of the Army and Navy, and citizens, began to call on us. 
At an early hour Captain Semmes went on shore to pay 
his respects to the military commander of the rock. Sir 
Wm. J. Codrington, K.C.B. He gave permission to land 
our prisoners, who were paroled and sent on shore imme- 
diately. We were treated with all the courtesy due to our 
rank, and but one stipulation made, "that we should not 
pursue the enemy from British neutral territory." This, 
of course, we could not do in the face of international law, 
in which our leader was so well learned. Communicating 



173 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

with onr minister in England, Mr. Mason (he had just re- 
lieved Mr. Yancey, who from ill health gave up his 
position), we were allowed to draw upon Messrs. Fraser, 
Trenholm & Co. for repairs to our little craft, sadly in 
need of them. We then entered heartily into the enjoy- 
ments of the port. The clubhouses were opened to us, 
and we made many pleasant acquaintances. It gives me 
great pleasure here to record that in those days of recrea- 
tion I formed a very pleasant friendship, which has not 
ceased (but grown warmer with the passing years), for a 
young Canadian, an Army officer. Brown Wallis, a lieu- 
tenant in the "Prince of Wales looth Regiment of Royal 
Canadians," then stationed at the Rock. Here we also 
met Major Fremantle, who afterwards, later in the war, 
visited our Southern States, and was a warm Confederate 
sympathizer, writing and publishing very interesting ac- 
counts of the same. In writing of my friend, Captain 
Brown Wallis, a late English paper makes this statement : 
"Mr. Brown Wallis was one of the original Canadian 
officers of our regiment. His commission in the lOOth 
bore date July, 1858. During the time he served in the old 
1 00th he was one of the smartest officers and a thorough 
soldier. He took the greatest possible interest and trouble 
in promoting and furthering everything for the welfare of 
the regiment. He left the looth to take a very responsi- 
ble and highly important appointment under the Govern- 
ment of Canada. His retirement from the old corps was 
universally regretted by his brother officers and the rank 
and file, amongst whom he was so deservedly popular. 
That he should some years before have given up the pro- 
fession of the law, for which he was studying, the comforts 
and luxuries of a home of affluence, to embrace the mili- 
tary profession, won for him the admiration of his friends, 
and are the best evidence that the spirit of loyalty and 
patriotism is as strong in the hearts of Young Canada as 
in any portion of Her Majesty's dominions." He is still 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 173 

a faithful and loyal subject of Her Majesty, being in the 
Department of Interior, at Ottawa, Canada, and still faith- 
ful and loyal to the friendships of his youth, — a noble, ear- 
nest English gentleman. Some of my happiest hours of 
leisure were spent with him at Gibraltar and I review that 
time with unfeigned pleasure in memory. 



Chapter VI 

A FEW days after our arrival at Gibraltar we were invited 
to partake of one of their greatest sports and pleasures — 
a grand fox chase. An English nobleman, who owned 
them, allowed the looth Regiment to keep his pack of 
fifty hounds at the Rock of Gibraltar, and it was worth 
seeing these splendid creatures in twenty-live couples, 
under full control of their keepers, — hunters, keepers and 
all in gay attire and eager for the chase. I had often 
heard and read of the vigor of English women, but saw 
proof of it at tliat time. Sir Wm. Codrington, with Lady 
Codrington and their two young daughters, joined our 
party. We crossed the little narrow strip of land that 
joins the Rock to Spain, and a few miles' ride brought us 
into the cork woods. The early part of the day we en- 
joyed the chase through this forest, the echoes of which 
resounded with the baying of the hounds. The ladies 
entered keenly into the sport, rode their horses beautifully, 
with no apparent fatigue, though it must have been a ride 
of between thirty and forty miles, and returned quite fresh 
to a seven o'clock dinner! Imagine an American lady 
doing the same ! The cry of the fifty hounds was music, 
and although on so grand a scale it brought to memory 
other fox hunts over the red clay hills of Georgia. The 
dogs ran so admirably that, to use the huntsman's par- 
lance, you "could cover them with a blanket." We got 
up two or three of the wily, treacherous, little beasts, but 
carried none in as trophies. Our ride was over a very 
broken country. We were fond of riding through the 
cork woods, but were warned to avoid them. The rough 
men who barked the trees for the cork of commerce were 
a set of banditti willing to venture anything for money. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 175 

They would not have scrupled to capture us had any re- 
ward been offered for our heads by our enemies. The 
cork tree somewhat resembles the oak, though it does not 
grow so large or have as luxuriant foliage. 

After a few days in Gibraltar, and much effort made to 
procure it, we began to realize the impossibility of secur- 
ing coal. The captain decided to send the paymaster, 
Mr. Henry Myers, to Cadiz for it. In accomplishing this 
duty he was accompanied by a friend, a former United 
States Consul at Cadiz, Mr. Tunstall. They took passage 
on a little French steamer that plied between the Rock of 
Gibraltar and Cadiz, stopping at the Moorish town of 
Tangier on the route. Arriving at Tangier, they found the 
steamer would be delayed an hour or two, and so decided 
to walk up to the hotel. Upon their return to the steamer 
the ever-watchful Yankee Consul informed the authorities 
that there was a pirate on shore for whom a large ransom 
would be paid, thus arousing their cupidity. The two un- 
fortunate gentlemen were set upon by a Moorish mob of 
soldiers, overpowered and seized, placed in double irons 
and imprisoned at the American Consulate. 

As soon as the news of this high-handed and unjust act 
reached the Rock, Captain Semmes made every effort for 
their release. He wrote to the English Minister, asking 
his immediate influence in the name of civilization and 
humanity ! Mr. Hay refused to interfere, simply declar- 
ing the neutrality of his government, and Messrs. Myers 
and Tunstall were hurried off on board the enemy's Sloop 
of War Ino. From this vessel they were transferred to 
the Federal Merchant Ship Harvest Home, on board of 
which they were treated with the greatest insult and indig- 
nity. Their heads were shaved like felons, they were 
heavily ironed, and put below hatches and kept in this 
condition till they reached Boston. There they were im- 
prisoned for awhile, but treated as prisoners of war, and 
finally released on parole. Paymaster Myers was a most 
efficient officer and a high-toned gentleman. The treat- 
ment he received aroused in the hearts of his brother offi- 



176 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

cers and shipmates a feeling of righteous indignation. I 
have at times the pleasure of extending to him the hand 
of friendship in these more peaceful days. 

The career of the doughty little Sumter was drawing to 
a close; dangers seemed to beset her at every turn. We 
were unable to purchase coal, and could not make the 
necessary repairs. It would have been absolutely neces- 
sary to have had new boilers put in to make another cruise 
or prolong this one, and we could not have done this short 
of the shipyards of England. In the face of all these 
difficulties, — to say nothing of being watched by from 
three to six Federal cruisers, each one greatly her supe- 
rior, — Captain Semmes made up his mind, after much de- 
liberation, and with much regret, to lay up the Sumter in 
ordinary, in charge of Midshipman Armstrong, Master's 
Mate Hester, and ten seamen. To pay ofT his officers and 
crew, with instructions to make the best of their way to 
the South and report to the Government at Richmond, 
was his next step, and the hour of parting came, upon 
which we need not dwell. 

I have always felt that the little Sumter has never had 
full justice done her, or been accorded her high meed of 
praise! She was the first vessel to unfurl the flag of the 
young Confederacy to the nations of the world on the 
high seas. Frail and unseaworthy at best, her career was 
a marvel. In the hands of a commander as daring as any 
Viking in seamanship, she swept the waters of the Carib- 
bean Sea as she moved silently on her career of triumph. 
No ship of her size, her frailness, and her armament ever 
played such havoc on a powerful foe ! Within the six 
short months of her brief career she had captured, ran- 
somed, or destroyed seventeen of the enemy's ships, and 
so alarmed the commercial world as almost to drive their 
flag from the thoroughfares of the ocean. When Captain 
Semmes made known his intention of giving up the little 
craft there was a feeling of sadness among officers and 
crew. Of course she had done what she could, amt 'there 
was pride and satisfaction in feeling she had accomplished 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 177 

a great deal, but it seemed to sailor hearts like desertion 
and abandonment to leave her to an unknown fate ! There 
was no use, however, in the face of the frowning circum- 
stances, to attempt to run the blockade. After consulting 
by telegram our minister, Mr. Mason, and coming to a 
decision, the captain gave orders to disband and seek other 
work for their cause and country. In less than a couple 
of months the little Sumter was sold, and sailed under the 
British fiag as a merchant ship. We afterwards heard she 
had gone into the port of Charleston, South Carolina, as 
a blockade runner, the new owner having given her the 
name Gibraltar. After some little time and service she found 
a watery grave in the North Sea, where two years later 
her far-famed successor, the Alabama, was doomed to sink 
after an unequal combat, to be seen no more "till the sea 
gives up her dead !" 

About the middle of April we took passage on the 
English mail steamer for Southampton. She was on her 
regular trip from India, and had as passengers many Eng- 
lishmen who had worn out health and strength in the 
East in search of fortune, and were now returning to Old 
England with well-filled pockets to recruit broken health 
and spend their declining years in affluence and comfort. 
The steamer was fitted up with every luxury and comfort 
for the East India traveler and we made ourselves very 
comfortable. As we passed out of the harbor of Gibraltar 
we cast a lingering look at the little vessel that had been 
our "home on the rolling deep" during those last exciting 
months. Many of our hospitable friends and entertainers 
of the regiment at the Rock were there to wish us a very 
pleasant voyage home. We were fully prepared to enjoy 
the voyage as passengers, and not actors, on the magnifi- 
cent mail steamer, and were deHghted with the beautiful 
scenery on the coasts of Spain, Portugal and France. 
After six days' pleasant steaming at this charming season 
of the year, we entered the harbor of Southampton, and 
after a few hours' rest took rail for London. 

12 



Chapter VII 

Captain Semmes and I took rooms together in Eitston 
Square, a very convenient and central part of the great 
city. A parlor and two bed-rooms furnished our suite, and 
we gave ourselves up to rest and enjoyment for a few days. 
While in London we met many brother officers, some 
resident in England at the time, and others, like ourselves, 
birds of passage. We also learned all the Confederate 
naval news and plans on this side of the water. The new 
Gunboat Orcto (afterwards named the Florida) had just 
sailed, without armament, under the British flag, for Nas- 
sau, New Providence, where her brave and gallant com- 
mander, dashing John N. Maffitt, was waiting for her. 
Another new ship, the 2go, was nearing completion, but 
no ol^cers yet assigned to her command. We were all 
deHghted with our minister abroad, Mr. Mason, who had 
succeeded Mr. Yancey (who on account of failing health 
had returned home). Mr. Mason was a typical Southern 
gentleman, a fine representative of the old Virginia 
school of that day. When we called on him to discuss 
affairs we were invited to clay pipes and old Virginia 
tobacco, with true Southern hospitality. While in Lon- 
don we had the pleasure of attending Mr. Spurgeon's 
tabernacle, by invitation of one of his church dignitaries. 
He offered to provide seats for us. According to appoint- 
ment we met him the following day (which was the Sab- 
bath) at the door of the tabernacle. He escorted us into 
the building by a private way, and up a flight of stairs, 
which opened upon Mr. Spurgeon's platform, in the rear 
of which were a number of pews. In one of these pews 
sat Mrs. Spurgeon and family. Opposite them we, with 
the church officials, took our seats. The enormous build- 
ing was filled to overflowing, but the greatest order and 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 179 

decorum prevailed. The wonderful speaker was listened 
to with breathless silence. I was more impressed with 
his earnestness than his eloquence. I had so lately heard 
the celebrated Dr. Palmer, of New Orleans, that I think 
I was mentally comparing the two speakers and giving 
the palm of eloquence to the latter. At the conclusion 
of the services the immense throng quietly dispersed. We 
had heard that Mr. Spurgeon preached to the masses — 
the working classes of London — and if this was true it 
was a pleasure to witness their reverence in the tabernacle 
and upon retiring from it. 

At our boarding place in Euston Square we had the 
pleasure of a visit from a genial English clergyman, Rev. 
Francis W. Tremlett, in charge of the church at Belsize 
Park. He was an ardent sympathizer with the South 
and her cause. He invited us to his house, a beautiful 
English home presided over by his mother and sister. 
We accepted this kind invitation and met there many 
Confederate and English Navy officers. The friendship 
for Mr. Tremlett and his family here formed has been 
earnest and life-long. 

There was no apparent work for us abroad, and we re- 
solved to turn our faces homeward to the Confederacy. 
For this purpose, late in May, we took passage in the 
Steamer Melita for Nassau, intending to run the blockade 
from that point into Norfolk, Virginia. The Melita was 
loaded with arms and ammunition and belonged to the 
English firm of Isaac Bros. Accompanying us on our 
passage to Nassau was my friend and relative, Hon. John 
E. Ward, returning from China, where he had been as 
United States Minister. He had left his family in Europe 
and was making his way into the Confederacy. He was 
full of his late mission, and very entertaining. I recollect 
an amusing anecdote of him in this connection. At his 
first reception in China, having no official dress (indeed, 
none was required) yet wanting to impress the high Celes- 
tial officials with his personality, he donned his Chatham 



180 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Artillery uniform, of which honored company he had been 
captain in Savannah. Through the interpreter the 
Chinese wished to know the meaning of the letters "C. A." 
on his belt. With ready wit he told them "China and 
America.*' This satisfied their curiosity and their sense 
of honor and dignity. They were very much flattered, 
and it had the effect the minister desired. 

Arriving at Nassau, we found it a live seaport town, 
crowded with blockade runners and shipping. The hotels 
were swarming with Confederates and Federals, the latter 
driving a lively trade in furnishing arms and equipments 
to the Confederates. Here we met the gallant Maffitt at 
work before the Colonial Court getting the Oreto cleared 
of the charge of violating English neutrality, which he was 
at last, after much effort, successful in doing. While here 
Captain Semmes gave up one of his officers. Lieutenant 
Stribbling, to become the executive officer of Mafifttt's 
ship. Among the guests at the Victoria Hotel were 
many ladies from the North and South. Among them 
shone conspicuously Maffitt's young daughter, hand- 
some and just grown up. The inspiring war song, 
"Maryland, My Maryland," we heard for the first time 
from her young lips, and sung with great expression and 
pathos it made one of the events of the evening at the 
hotel, and always met a round of applause. 

Maffitt after great delay got his ship out of this harbor 
and proceeded to his appointed rendezvous to receive his 
armament. He had many misfortunes. Yellow fever at- 
tacked his crew and he lost many men; poor Stribbling 
died; his young stepson, Laurence Reed, died; he had the 
fever himself and his life was given up by all on board. 
As he lay apparently unconscious (as his physicians 
thought) he opened his eyes, and, looking around him, 
said feebly: "Don't give me up; do all you can for me; 
I haven't got time to die now, there's too much for me to 
do." He recovered to do grand service in the Florida. 
Maffitt seemed to hold a charmed life — he dashed through 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE I8l 

the nine ships of the enemy's blockading squadron, and 
flew into Mobile like a meteor, and when recovered and 
recruited as to health and acquisition of men, dashed out 
again, meteor-like, fearless and brave. His notable career 
on the high seas belongs to the history of the war between 
the States. Maffitt hved in his life the truth of the Hues : 

"The bravest are the tenderest, 
The loving are the daring." 

Though I may have cause to refer to his career again 
in these annals, I cannot help now saying, with a benedic- 
tion: "Peace to the ashes, and rest to the soul of one so 
brave and true !" Maffitt lived many years after the war, 
and has left a very interesting family to inherit his virtues 
and his great name. 

While at Nassau Captain Semmes received a letter from 
Mr. Mallory, Secretary of the Confederate Navy, brought 
by an officer just from the South, assigning him to the 
command of the new steamer just finished in England, the 
2go. He had instructions to gather up the officers of the 
Sumter, but this it was not possible to do, as they were 
now too widely scattered and some of them assigned to 
other duties. We were to make our way back to Eng- 
land, resigning on the altar of patriotism, when almost 
within sight of home, all hope of reunion and domestic 
happiness, for another and longer cruise of danger and 
peril, and, as it proved, with loss of everything save life 
and honor. But 1 will not anticipate. 



Chapter VIII 

I HAVE been perusing some of a batch of old letters writ- 
ten from Nassau and England at that most stirring and 
enthusiastic period of my life. It makes an old man's 
pulses quicken and the fires of pride and patriotism re- 
kindle on the altar of a dear lost cause. Under date of 
July 2d, 1862, Nassau, N. P., I write: 

As two steamers leave to-day I will write by each, hoping some 
among them all may reach home safely. Cousin John Ward left here a 
week ago in the Memphis. He promised to see you and tell you of 
our movements. We were going to link our fates together, when, as I 
have written in previous letters, the severe trial came to me in the 
orders to return to Europe and give up all hope of seeing home and 
loved ones ! God grant it may be for the best ! At least the sacrifice 
is made for our beloved country, and it must be done with a good will 
and a cheerful spirit. The fortitude with which you and my dear 
mother bear this separation sustains me through it all, and for every 
duty. We have just received news of a great victory for us near New 
Orleans, with the capture of 8000 prisoners. We can but hope the city 
has been recaptured, for the feeling of the people must have been in- 
tense against the brutal Butler, and cries aloud for vengeance ! We 
anxiously await news from Richmond, as the near approach of the two 
armies must ere this have resulted in a battle. I leave for Europe in 
a few days now, in company with Captain Semmes and some other 
officers, and as soon as practicable after our arrival across the water 
we will take charge of our new vessel (said to be a superior one), and 
we will be better able to do good service for our country, than in the 
little Sumter. 

We have just heard of the capture of the Cecile, by which I sent 
letters, a package, and late English papers. It is truly disheartening to 
see so many of our anus, and ammunition falling into the enemy's 
hands. We risk a great deal to obtain small advantages. I have just 
had returned from England yours of the 19th of March, the first and 
only letter since running the blockade, now wanting ten days of being 
a year! Could we have run the blockade, what compensation in the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 183 

joyous home-coming! But it is ordered otherwise, and a cheerful 
acquiescence must be given to our duty. Our beloved Southland requires 
my services abroad, and they must be given. I would not be worthy of 
your love if I could ever flinch from duty. As I have written (but 
you may never have received the letters) two months ago, we laid up 
our good little ship, the Sumter, at Gibraltar as unfit for further service. 
We left Midshipman Armstrong in charge of her, with ten or a dozen 
men. All other officers detached with orders to make the best of their 
way home to report for duty. The captain and I came on together and 
reached this place a week ago. To our surprise he has received orders 
transferring him with his officers to a superior new ship, in which I 
trust we will be able to do good service for our country and her sacred 
cause. Do tell Mrs. Armstrong that her son is in fine health, left at 
Gibraltar in charge of the Sumter on account of his efficiency. He will 
be promoted, and join us in our new ship with the rank of lieutenant. 
Congratulate her for me. I enclose her letters to him from England to 
Gibraltar. 

Under date of Liverpool, August 12th, 1862, I write: 

We sailed from Nassau on the 13th of July and arrived here on 
the 5th of August. Met here the news of several blockade runners 
getting safely into Charleston and Wilmington, I hope you have my 
many letters, the boxes and packages. I will try to write from the 
unfrequented ports into which we go, but I can not even hope to hear 
from home again till the close of this dreadful war. We go on board 
ship in two hours, and sail early to-morrow morning to meet our new 
ship at the appointed rendezvous. She is said to be a beautiful gunboat, 
and very fast. I hope before very long you will get good accounts of 
us and our work. She will be christened the Alabama. Young Arm- 
strong is to be second lieutenant, tell his mother. I am glad of his 
promotion, as he is very efficient. God grant this war may close this 
winter, but should it continue longer we must be brave and bear up 
cheerfully till we have driven the invader from our soil and established 
our beloved Southland free and independent among the nations of the 
earth. God grant it ! 

We were three weeks on our passage from Nassau 
to Liverpool, where we were detained some days in mak- 
ing arrangements for our cruise. Our ship had preceded 
us on the voyage, and we hoped was now safely anchored 
ofT the Island of Terceira, our rendezvous, where a sailing 



184 • RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

ship with onr battery and stores had gone before her, and 
both should be awaiting us if no accident had befallen 
them. Captain James D. Bulloch, who superintended the 
building of the 2go, as she neared completion was much 
annoyed with Federal spies. He conceived the idea of 
running her out as soon as finished on a trial trip, and in 
order to avoid suspicion he invited a large party of ladies 
and gentlemen to accompany him, at the same time char- 
tering a little steam tug to follow the new ship out. The 
gay party made their appearance at the dock for the excur- 
sion at the appointed time, and with all on board for the 
festive occasion the 2po dropped gracefully down the Mer- 
sey and steamed across the Irish Channel, shaping her 
course to the northward. After the enjoyment of a pleas- 
ant run, with music and dancing and an elegant luncheon, 
the new ship being now opposite the Giant's Causeway, 
Captain Bulloch made signal for the little tug to come 
longside, and the merry party, with himself, were trans- 
ferred to the tug to return to Liverpool. Captain Butcher, 
a fine young Englishman, in command of the 2go, received 
his last instructions from Captain Bulloch, and wishing 
him God-speed and a safe voyage, the ship proceeded on 
her way around the north end of Ireland, bound for the 
Western Islands. 

On the 13th of August we left Liverpool in the Steamer 
Bahama. Captain Bulloch felt a laudable pride in his work, 
and desiring to see the opening of the career of the 2go, 
accompanied us. We were some days, possibly a week, 
on our trip to Terceira. On the morning of the 20th of 
August we sighted the land, and to our great delight we 
were not long in catching sight of our two ships safely 
anchored. By 1 1 o'clock we steamed into the harbor and 
found the work of transferring had begun. The stores 
were easy enough to transfer, but the heavy guns were 
not so manageable, and Captain Semmes quickly decided 
that we had best go around to Angra Bay, on the western 
side, to a more sheltered place. The anchorage was very 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 185 

much exposed to the prevaiHng winds, and the captain 
communicated with the ships to heave up their anchors 
and follow the Bahama to leeward of the island, and that 
afternoon we came to anchor with the three ships in Angra 
Bay. In order to avoid trespassing on the laws of neu- 
trality, the captain decided to take the sailing vessel that 
had the armament on board outside the marine league. 
Lashing her securely to the 2Q0, and providing good 
fenders to prevent chafing, we got under way and pro- 
ceeded along the coast to the required distance. We had 
prepared, before leaving port, heavy purchases for hoisting 
these large guns out of the hold of the ship to the deck of 
the 2^0. This work required very careful management, 
for even the natural motion of the sea made it a difficult 
job. To our great satisfaction it was successfully accom- 
plished in two days, we running in at night to our anchor- 
age, casting off our lashings for the two ships to ride com- 
fortably at their anchors. 

The name with which our ship left England was the 
2^0. This was a mystery in itself, apparently. A Yankee, 
writing an attempt at history in those times, explains for 
the benefit of the pubHc that "290 rebel sympathizers 
among the moneyed English people had built this Confed- 
erate pirate," when in truth she was the 290th ship built 
by the firm of Laird Bros., shipbuilders, of Birkenhead. 
I do not know that they took special pride or pains in her 
construction, but they certainly made "a thing of beauty" 
in a perfect ship of her! She was built rather for speed 
than battle, though her means of defense were very good. 
She was of 900 tons burden, 230 feet in length, 32 feet in 
breadth, and about 20 feet in depth. Her engine was 
300 horsepower, and we carried a condenser by Vhich to 
get all the fresh water required for the crew. Her sailing 
qualities were perfect, and when under full sail, from her 
long lower masts, she had the appearance of being much 
longer than she really was. Her propeller was so con- 
structed as to be easily detached and hoisted in a well 



186 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

made for the purpose. We could at our pleasure have 
a steamer or a sailing- vessel. She had never the very 
great speed accredited to her, though when under both 
sail and steam she could be made to run fifteen knots an 
hour. Her armament consisted of eight guns — six thirty- 
two pounders in broadside, one Blakely hundred-pounder 
rifled gun pivoted forward, and one eight-inch solid-shot 
gun pivoted abaft the mainmast. The Blakely gun was 
not very satisfactory. It became easily heated, from defi- 
ciency in metal, and the powder charge would have to be 
reduced on account of the recoil. The crew consisted of 
about one hundred and twenty men and twenty-four of^- 
cers — that is, the captain, five lieutenants, surgeon and as- 
sistant surgeon, paymaster, marine ofificer, captain's clerk, 
and three midshipmen. We had four fine engineers, 
boatswain, gunner, sailmaker and carpenter. Chapman, 
Evans and Stribbling, our lieutenants on the Sumter, 
being out of reach when we arrived in England, we 
made lieutenants of our midshipmen. Armstrong was 
called from Gibraltar and appointed second lieutenant, 
J. D. Wilson, of Florida, was third, John Lowe, of Georgia, 
was fourth, and Arthur Sinclair, Jr., of Virginia, was fifth. 
The acting master was Irvin D. Bulloch, of Georgia, a 
younger brother of Captain Bulloch. Francis L. Gait, of 
Virginia, was surgeon, and David Herbert Llewellyn, a 
young Englishman, assistant surgeon. Becket K. Howell, 
our marine officer, was of Mississippi, and the younger 
brother of Mrs. Jefferson Davis. Our midshipmen were 
Eugene Maffitt, of North Carolina, a son of Captain John 
N. Maflitt; Edward Anderson, of Georgia, and George T. 
Sinclair, of Virginia, all mere youths, most of them just 
out of the Naval Academy at AnnapoHs. None, with the 
exception of the captain, the surgeon, and myself, had 
even reached the prime of life, and while they may not 
have had "old heads on young shoulders," they had all 
the alacrity, enthusiasm and bravery necessary for our hap- 
hazardous cruise and steady, ceaseless work. Our engi- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 187 

neers were skilful and efficient. As for the crew, they were 
a mixture. With some very fine, adventurous seamen, we 
had also about fifty picked-up sailors from the streets of 
Liverpool, that looked as if they would need some man- 
of-war discipline to make anything of them, but we had 
hope in the old adage, "time will show" (as time did show), 
that we had some good material to work upon. We were 
some days transferring battery and stores from the ship 
sent out ahead of us, and by Saturday night we were ready 
to take charge of the 2po. We steamed out to sea, six 
miles, in company with the Bahama. 

On a lovely Sunday morning (strange fate that Sunday 
should have been her birthday and also the day of her sad 
sea burial !) — Sunday morning under a cloudless sky, with 
the soft breeze blowing upon us across the Island of Ter- 
ceira — we unfurled from the peak of the ship the banner 
of the Confederacy. The ceremonies were appropriate 
and imposing. .By order of Captain Semmes all hands 
were summoned aft to the quarter deck. Mounting a 
gun carriage the captain read aloud his commission as 
captain in the Confederate Navy, followed by his orders 
from the Secretary of the Navy, Hon. Stephen R. Mallory, 
to tajce command of the ship we were now to christen the 
Alabama. All officers stood with heads uncovered, as in 
the presence of Sovereign Authority, and while this cere- 
mony was going on slowly ascending to the peak and 
royal mainmast head were the ensign and pennant of the 
new man-of-war. At the conclusion of the captain's 
words and a wave of his hand a gun was fired, officers and 
men gave a deafening cheer and the band played "Dixie," 
the anthem of the new-born Confederacy. The Bahama 
then fired a gun and cheered our flag. The captain in his 
speech had explained to his listeners the object of the 
cruise, the war that was going on between the States, also 
the work and dangers before them; but he offered good 
pay for the work, and if successful in our cause the extra 
compensation of the Confederate Government, and invited 



188 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

all who wished to go to the paymaster and sign for enlist- 
ment. Of the crews of the two ships — the Alabama hav- 
ing taken out sixty and the Bahama thirty men — eighty 
men joined us. 

The following day the Bahama (Captain Butcher) was 
to sail for her return to England. Captain Bulloch and 
he took leave of us, wishing us "bon voyage and God- 
speed," and the Alabama and Bahama parted company. 
After some necessary work the Alabama sailed away to 
begin her brief but brilliant career on the bosom of the 
trackless deep ! 



Chapter IX 

Our new ship was now commissioned, christened, and 
set sail on a cruise. Of course there was a great deal of 
work to be done before the Alabama would be in ship- 
shape for her memorable cruise in search of Federal mer- 
chantmen, with strict orders from the Confederate Secre- 
tary to ''avoid all engagements with the enemy's ships of 
war, but to destroy all their commerce that we could in 
the shortest space of time." We had been out almost ten 
days and were less than a hundred miles from the point 
where we put the ship in commission, when we sighted 
and afterwards captured our first prize — a fine whaling 
ship, named the Ocmulgee. All hands were hard at work 
with a whale alongside, "trying out the blubber." The 
amazement of the captain at being taken prisoner was so 
great as to be really amusing, but he bore it as philosophi- 
cally as a true sailor could, and that is saying a great deal. 
We transferred the officers and crew and their personal 
effects, and burned the ship. We did not do this, how- 
ever, till the following morning, as Captain Semmes 
thought that a bonfire at night would proclaim our where- 
abouts and the work we had begun. We took from her 
a good supply of beef and pork and some small stores. 

We now shaped our course for the Island of Flores, the 
most western of the Azores. We had spent all our spare 
time in organizing and disciplining the crew, messing 
them, stationing them at quarters, exercising them at the 
great guns, and all the minor work on board a man-of-war, 
which is of the first importance, so that we were prepared 
for an excellent muster, our first since going into com- 
mission. This muster was not simply a calling of the roll, 
but reading the Articles of War, inspection of dress, of 



190 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

neatly trimmed sails, of polished brass and iron works, of 
white decks, and everything pertaining to the health, 
comfort and cleanliness of a well-kept man-of-war. The 
Island of Flores rises like a lone sentinel in mid-ocean, and 
is very fertile and picturesque. As we approached it there 
seemed to be a succession of hills with lovely valleys be- 
tween, and little cottages peeping out from the beautiful 
foliage, looking very cosy and homelike, and all present- 
ing a high state of cultivation and contentment. I think 
the habitual cheerfulness on board our ship was due in a 
great measure to the youth of our officers, and their ardor 
and patriotism were unfailing. They never flagged or 
wearied, but were always on the alert to meet every duty, 
and any jDleasure that presented itself was eagerly enjoyed. 
No matter how hard the day's work, the crew would 
gather around the forecastle and enliven the evening air 
with amusing nautical ditties, often of their own improvis- 
ing, but generally closed the evening's entertainment with 
the national songs of our own beloved Southland. 

Our second prize was the Schooner Starlight, of Boston, 
from Fayal with passengers. She gave us quite a chase, 
for her captain seemed determined not to submit to cap- 
ture, but our speed proved too much for him, and a round 
shot across his bows made him heave to with the Yankee 
flag flying at his peak. The lady passengers were greatly 
alarmed, but being informed that they were soon to be 
landed at Flores, their anxieties were relieved. The fol- 
lowing day we ran in so near to land passengers and crew 
that we were visited by the governor of the Island and most 
of the prominent citizens. This prize we burned. The 
same afternoon, continuing our course around the Island, 
we captured a large whaler, the Ocean Rover by name. 
This ship had been three years out, and was on her return 
home filled with several hundred barrels of sperm oil. 
The following morning we captured the Alert. She had 
just left New London with a good supply of winter cloth- 
ing, and it being just what our crew stood most in need of, 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 191 

it was turned over to the paymaster. Their fresh rations 
also came in good time to fill our larder. We paroled the 
officers and crew and sent them ashore. Before sunset of 
this day we discovered another sail standing in for the 
Island, a large schooner of Yankee rig. She was about 
three miles distant, but after half an hour's chase was 
within range of our guns. We fired a blank cartridge 
and she hove to, an easy prey. She was the Weather- 
gauge, a whaling ship, six weeks out from Yankeedom. 

I have often been asked by persons interested in the 
cruise of the Alabama of the treatment of prisoners by 
Captain Semmes. The late files of papers taken from 
these captured ships brought us news of the harsh treat- 
ment of our prisoners in Federal hands, among them our 
former paymaster of the Sumter and his companion, Mr. 
Tunstall, two very innocent victims, and Captain Semmes 
resolved upon taking some retaliatory measures for this 
treatment. He accordingly put the captains of the Star- 
light and several other captured vessels in irons, as a coun- 
terbalance to the treatment of our officers. The captains 
were very indignant, as they said, "on account of their 
positions," but Captain Semmes replied that "Mr. Myers 
held a high position also, and was a gentleman, an officer 
of unblemished character and great worth, and should not 
have been treated like a felon." When opportunity 
offered, however, they were paroled speedily and released, 
so their harsh treatment was never of long duration. The 
prisoners were otherwise well treated, and after six or eight 
captures the captain concluded to desist retaliatory meas^ 
ures, and treated them only as ordinary prisoners of war. 
We had a respite of several days before we heard again the 
welcome cry of "sail ho !" Our next capture was the Whal- 
ing Brig Altaniaha. After taking all her boats and crew we 
burned her. The following night we captured the Whal- 
ing Ship Benjamin Thicker, from New Bedford. By ten 
o'clock we had taken crew and boats and burned this ship. 
The next morning we made an early capture in the Whal- 



193 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

ing Schooner Courser. These ships gave us seventy or 
more prisoners, and we were much inconvenienced on 
board ship in consequence, so we thought best to go 
back to Flores for the purpose of landing them. 

We now stood to the northward and westward, and soon 
sighted and gave chase to a sail. She proved to be the 
American Whaling Ship I'irgima. After three long hours 
of chase we took her. She bore a proud name, ''Virginia," 
mother of States, mother of statesmen ! How dear the 
name to our Southern hearts, but she (the whaler so mis- 
named) soon fell a prey to the rules of war. A few hours 
brought us great change of weather, and our next capture 
was almost in the face of a storm, but we braved it and 
took the Whaling Ship Elisha Dunbar, which made our 
tenth capture in two short weeks ! The stormy season was 
now approaching, and September gales and the later and 
more to be dreaded autumnal gales made us prudently 
resolve upon a change of base and new fields of operation. 
The teeming harvests of the great Northwest would by 
this time be ready for transportation to Europe, and boun- 
tiful Nature had no doubt enough and to spare from her 
capacious arms, not only for the swarms of Irish, German, 
Dutch, and other nationalities that had gone over to help in 
the subjugation of the South, and the establishment of the 
"great and glorious Union" (for the money found therein, 
and not for honor or glory), but also for the trade abroad, 
so we entered upon the ocean highway of that trade. 

It was now October, the most beautiful month of the 
year. AMien in the lovely Southland the gorgeous Indian 
summer sets in, and the skies are blue beyond description, 
and life seems so beautiful to dream, to love, to live ! To 
the seaman it is often a month of perilous adventure, and 
especially is it one of danger in the waters to which we 
were wending our way, and before many days had elapsed 
we were to experience some very heavy weather off the 
Newfoundland Banks. Early in October we captured 
the Brilliant and the Emily Farnum, both from New York, 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 193 

bound for England, loaded with jflour and grain. The 
Emily Farniim showed a neutral cargo, so we made a cartel 
of her, placing our prisoners on board and sending her on 
her way. We burned the Brilliant. We sighted many 
ships, but they were all foreigners. We continued 
our way northward and westward, heading towards New 
York, where Captain Semnies had planned a surprise for 
the Board of Trade. He intended to enter Sandy Hook 
anchorage and set fire to the shipping in that vast harbor. 
We might have accomplished our plans — we certainly 
would have tried to carry them out — but for the violent 
gale, amounting to a cyclone, which we encountered, and 
which left us in a very disabled condition. But of this 
hereafter. 

On the 7th of October we captured and burned the Bark 
Ocean Wave, and in the light of her bonfire gave chase to 
another sail. It was a beautiful moonlight night and the 
chase was exciting in the extreme, and consumed some 
hours. She was the Dunkirk, bound for Lisbon. Two 
days later we fell in with the Tonazvanda, of Philadelphia, 
a large packet ship, which carried a cargo of grain; but she 
had passengers, mostly women and children. As we had 
no room for these we were forced to release this ship on 
ransom bond, but detained her a day or two, lest we should 
need to put other prisoners on board. This was a prudent 
move, as we soon took the Manchester, a fine ship, grain 
cargo, bound for Liverpool. We transferred the passen- 
gers and crew and burned the Manchester. The weather 
now began to show decided danger of approaching gales, 
which reduced us to reefed topsails. In this condition our 
next prize came running down to us under all sail. We 
fired a blank cartridge across her bow, which brought her 
to leeward of us. She was the Lamplighter, of Boston, 
with a cargo of tobacco. Captain and crew were brought 
on board and the ship fired. A wilder scene I never wit- 
nessed. The flam.es ran up the tarred rigging like demons 
to the mastheads, with burning lanyards flying to the gale ! 
13 



194 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Each hour of the night the gale increased in fury, and by 
morning we were overtaken by one of the most violent 
storms that ever blew across the Atlantic. The wind blew 
with such force (though we had taken every precaution to 
have our sails in readiness for it) from southward and east- 
ward as to press our little ship almost under the waves. 
We battened hatches to keep the seas that were breaking 
over us from going below, and passed life lines along the 
decks to keep the men from being washed overboard. Our 
main brace was carried away, the main yard snapped in 
two like a pipestem, and the main topsail torn into shreds ! 
It was a time of desperation, but the brave sailors were 
equal to the work. They secured the main yard and low- 
ered the spars to the deck without loss of life. Suddenly 
the gale ceased and we lay in a dead calm. Captain 
Semmes, who was watching the storm, turned to me and 
said, "Mr. Kell, in a few minutes we will get the wind with 
renewed violence in the opposite direction." I at once 
braced the yards and secured the storm staysail to receive 
the storm from the northwest, and we were prepared to 
receive the gale that came with greater violence, if possible, 
than it did before the calm. It lasted two long hours. The 
little ship labored heavily, but weathered it. In a constant 
sea service of nearly twenty years I had seen but one gale 
that could equal this one. That gale we encountered in 
the United States Steam Frigate Mississippi, returning 
from Commodore Perry's Expedition to Japan. We were 
out a week from Jeddo Bay. I was master of her at the 
time. Grand old ship that she was, she rode out that gale 
magnificently. In the storm to which the Alabama was 
exposed the vortex passed more immediately over us, 
which made it seem more violent while it lasted. 



Chapter X 

In our crippled condition we had to abandon our bril- 
liant plans of surprising New Yorkers by setting fire to 
their shipping, and find our way by sail to milder latitudes. 
We sailed along the coast of the United States, and two or 
three days after the gale captured the Ship Lafayette, 
bound for Ireland with grain. We transferred officers 
and crew and burned her. On the third day after the 
burning of the Lafayette we sighted to the windward of 
us a tapering, rakish schooner, of unmistakable American 
build. We brought her to with solid shot, after a short 
chase, examined her papers, and finding her a legitimate 
prize, consigned her to the flames. She was the Crenshaw, 
grain laden, three days out, and bound for Scotland. The 
weather was still rough and disagreeable, but trade in grain 
ships was too good to be abandoned for rough weather, 
and we could not seek our mild latitudes very rapidly. 
Our next capture was the Bark Lauretta, disposed of in the 
usual way. Our next prize was the Brig Baron de Castile, 
loaded with lumber. We made a cartel of her, as our 
prisoners were getting inconveniently troublesome again, 
and sent her to New York. Being in the direct line of 
trade, and so actively employed, we had to keep our fires 
banked and be in readiness for the enemy's men-of-war, 
should any put in an appearance. Our rather limited sup- 
ply of coal must soon give out, and it became necessary for 
us to seek our rendezvous, where by this time a coal ship 
sent to us by Captain Bulloch should be in waiting to sup- 
ply us. As we were making our way to the south- 
ward, we fell in with a large whaling ship, bound for 
a long cruise to the Pacific Ocean, the Levi Starbuck. She 
had on board all the necessaries to be desired for such a 



196 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVy\L LIFE 

voyage, besides many articles for trade with the islanders 
in that distant ocean. After supplying all our wants we 
burned the ship. We got very late news and papers by 
her, which were of great interest to us. Our next capture 
was the T. B. JVales, an East Indiaman, bound for Boston. 
She had on board as passengers the United States Consul 
to Mauritius, with his wife, three little daughters, and a 
lady friend. At first the ladies were alarmed at being 
taken prisoners, but the fright soon wore off, and the chil- 
dren were very contented and happy. They were made 
great pets of by the officers and parted from us with re- 
gret. The consul's wife was an Englishwoman of culture 
and refinement. We gave up our best staterooms to them, 
and they fully appreciated our efforts to make them com- 
fortable. We secured from the Wales a main yard, which 
replaced our loss by the gale on the Newfoundland Banks. 
After getting it aloft in place we were complete again in 
our sailing capacity. 

The T. B. Wales had been five months on her home- 
ward journey. Besides getting her main yard, which was 
almost precisely the dimensions of our ship's lost one, we 
took a lot of spars, of which we stood in need. We were 
obliged to destroy some articles of East India workmanship 
that were highly prized by our lady prisoners, among them 
some elegantly carved ebony chairs. They seemed deeply 
to regret the loss of these treasures. They bore us no 
malice, however, for the fortunes of war. The consul, Mr. 
Fairchild, after the close of the war, when Captain Semmes 
was arrested and thrown into a Federal prison, wrote to 
him and offered to be a witness for him against the many 
false charges brought against him, among them "cruelty 
to prisoners." In the admiral's interesting book, written 
some years after the war, he takes occasion to thank the 
consul for "this act of a Christian gentleman in those 
troublous times of malice and unrest." The Wales gave 
us several fine seamen as recruits, and we now numbered 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 197 

about one hundred and ten men — our full complement 
should have been one hundred and twenty. 

We now made our way to Port de France, on the Island 
of Martinique. As soon as we arrived' in this port I was 
sent by Captain Semmes to call on the French Admiral to 
present his regards and report the arrival in that harbor 
of the Confederate States Steamer Alabama. The jolly 
Frenchman received me very pleasantly, but while sending 
his very kind regards to Captain Semmes, asked me to 
say that he advised the captain to bring his ship under the 
guns of the fort, as the Scotchman of the Agrippina (our 
coal ship) had, under the influence of too much Scotch 
whiskey, communicated on shore that he was there waiting 
for the Alabama, and that he would not be surprised at any 
moment at the appearance of American men-of-war in 
search of us. I thanked him, and delivered the message. 
Captain Semmes summoned the Scotchman, and in one 
hour's time the Agrippina was under way, standing out of 
the harbor with orders to proceed to Blanquilla, on the 
coast of Venezuela. 

At Port de France we had a most amusing experience 
with our men, and at the same time the nearest approach 
to a mutiny we ever had on board the ship. Late in the 
afternoon, having landed our prisoners and received the 
usual amount of visitors, the ''bumboats" put in an appear- 
ance, loaded with fruits, pipes, tobacco, orange water, and 
sundries; but as night approached we had reason to beHeve 
something stronger than "orange water" had also been 
smuggled in. Suddenly some of the men became noisy 
and boisterous, a most unusual thing under our discipline. 
Upon my going forward to quell the disturbance on the 
forecastle, a sailor threw a belaying pin at me that, but for 
the drunken aim, might have been serious, and others 
threatened violence. Some of the men directed to seize 
their disorderly comrades refused to do it, and there was a 
general defiance of authority. Just at this juncture Cap- 
tain Semmes appeared on deck. He said quickly, "Mr. 



198 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Kell, give the order to beat to quarters." The drum and 
fife were gotten up and they fell in mechanically, some of 
them so drunk they scarcely knew what they were doing. 
"At quarters" all officers appear armed as if going into 
battle, and twenty-live or thirty armed officers v/ere a 
match for a hundred or more men with belaying pins and 
knives. We then passed among them as they stood at 
their guns, the eagle eye of Captain Semmes pointing out 
the most disorderly and riotous to be ironed. There were 
about twenty of the culprits. He then ordered them taken 
to the gangway, and called out for the quartermasters to 
provide themselves with draw-buckets, and beginning with 
the most drunken culprit to douse them thoroughly with 
water. The buckets full came down on them in quick suc- 
cession. At first they were very derisive, and cried out, 
"Come on with your water, we're not afraid of water," but 
before long they began to gasp for breath and shiver with 
cold. Then they began to beg for mercy and to promise 
loudly "never to do the like again." This ceremony took 
about two hours, all officers and men standing at quarters, 
when the captain turned to me and said, "Mr. Kell, give 
orders to beat the retreat." There were none who were 
not sufficiently sober now to go below and change their 
wet garments, take to their hammocks, and sleep away 
their troubles. From that time there was a saying among 
them that showed the novel mode of discipline was not 
forg-otten (to say the least of it): "Old Beeswax [the 
captain] is hell when he waters a poor fellow's grog!" 

It was well that the captain got the Agrippina away on 
such short notice, for the first call of the lookout in the 
morning reported a United States man-of-war off the har- 
bor. She was the notorious San Jacinto, of Wilkes and 
Seward fame. She saw us as soon as we saw her. We 
were amused at her preparation for combat. Her battery 
of some fourteen guns, her men double the number of ours, 
we never for a moment thought of engaging her, or of 
anything but eluding her giant grasp. We remained at 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 199 

our anchors all day, such of the officers as desired going on 
shore; the stewards of the different messes all busy laying 
in fresh stores and fruits. The evening set in dark and 
rainy. The weather was more kind to us than it was when, 
almost a year before, the little Sumter' dodged the Iroquois 
at St. Pierre. Knowing the harbor well, we determined 
upon taking a southerly direction out. When we had 
gotten up steam and made all other preparations (having 
no lights) we passed out without even a glimpse of the 
San Jacinto, but we saw by the papers later that she re- 
mained some days off the port, still watching for us, unable 
to credit the fact that we had really escaped ! 

After a day and night's run we came to anchor with our 
coal ship off the barren little Island of Blanquilla, off the 
coast of Venezuela. In this out-of-the-way little coral reef 
we found a Yankee whaling schooner. As. we were run- 
ning under United States colors, the master of the whaler 
came out to us, delighted to see one of his own gunboats, 
and offered to pilot us in. He was quite carried away 
with our guns and battery; said he "thought we could give 
the Pirate Semmes fits if we met him, and hoped we 
would." Imagine his state of collapse when he found we 
were the veritable pirate's ship ! The captain invited him 
to an interview — he was aghast and overcome. The cap- 
tain told him that "out of respect for Venezuela he had no 
idea of violating maritime law and jurisdiction, and would 
not burn his ship (though he had called him a pirate), but 
he must insist upon his 'making us a visit,' " which meant 
that he would be detained on the Alabama till we were 
ready to depart. He readily agreed to these terms, and 
his visit was of some days' duration. During our stay 
here the mate of the little schooner sighted a whale off the 
harbor, and immediately all boats were sent in pursuit of 
him. They came up with him and had a beautiful chase, 
which we all enjoyed very much as "lookers-on." In a 
few hours they had killed him, and taking him in tow 
brought him to shore, where they tried him out. 



200 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

We had a pleasant stay here, and took advantage of our 
opportunity to break out the hokl, whitewash, and do 
many useful jobs, while the officers enjoyed many little 
fishing frolics, as well as happy sports on shore. Every- 
body enjoyed the week or ten days' stay at Blanquilla. 
The crew had liberty days in quarter watches, and bathing 
on the beach was a favorite amusement. There were 
flocks of sea birds, flamingo, pelican, gull, sand-snipe, and 
plover in abundance, and those who went on shore usually 
came back laden with game. Sharks were not scarce, but 
being a cowardly fish they seldom attacked a party, usu- 
ally reserving that sport for a lone fisherman or bather. 
As a health motive these "liberty days" were always given 
the crew, and they greatly improved by it. When we had 
finished coaling and were otherwise ready for sea, we let 
our visitor depart in peace, but Captain Semmes cautioned 
him "not to allow himself to be caught a second time, as 
it might not fare so w^ell with him." We sent the Agrip- 
pina to the Areas Cayes for our next rendezvous, having 
still a supply of coal on board of her. 

Through the capture of late papers we found that Gen- 
eral Banks was fitting out a great expedition for the inva- 
sion of Texas, to rendezvous at Galveston, which city had 
fallen into the enemy's hands some wrecks before. Our 
vigilant commander laid his plans accordingly. He knew 
the Galveston bar, and knew that the transport ships 
required to carry a vast army of thirty thousand men or 
more would not be able to proceed far into a harbor that 
held but twelve or fourteen feet of water. He designed to 
surprise this fleet, fire into them, set fire to the shipping, 
and make his escape before they could recover from their 
astonishment, as the late Northern papers had reported 
the "Alabama on the coast of Brazil on her way to the 
East Indies." Closely calculating the time, we thought 
the expedition could not reach the city of Galveston before 
the loth of January, and it was now only the last week 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 201 

in November. We had plenty of time to make a few more 
captures, and possibly we might take a California steamer 
and fill our strong box with gold enough to help us out ! 

On the morning of the 29th of November we were coast- 
ing along the south side of Porto Rico, enjoying the beau- 
tiful scenery, smooth sea, and gentle breezes, when we 
passed a large French steamer, also a little English bark, 
which latter saluted us in passing by dipping her colors 
to the United States flag at our peak. By nightfall we 
entered the Mona Passage between Porto Rico and St. Do- 
mingo. We did not know but that we should find a man- 
of-war here, as the papers stated that there were many in 
search of us. Finding none, we decided they must all be 
busy blockading the Southern ports. We boarded a little 
Spanish steamer just from Boston and procured late 
papers from her. They were filled, literally crammed, 
with Banks' great expedition, which had given life and 
activity to all New England, and from revival of trade 
must have made the war very popular there. We requested 
the steamer to report us the United States Steamer Iro- 
quois. What did it matter? "A rose by any other name 
would smell as sweet," and we might not arouse such an 
army of sea hunters if we committed the depredation of 
a name only ! The following bright Sunday morning, 
while most of the officers were on deck enjoying the atmo- 
sphere and scenery so suggestive of history and Christo- 
pher Columbus, with his early dreams and realizations, 
and the men were gathered in groups amusing themselves 
in their own sailor-like ways, we were startled by the cry 
of "sail ho !" from the lookout. All eyes were scanning 
the horizon, and soon discerned the snowy sails and taper- 
ing masts of the unmistakable American. A few hours' 
run brought her within our clutches. The bark was the 
Parker Cook, of Boston, bound for Aux Cayes, south side 
of St. Domingo. She had everything we needed, Boston 
bread and crackers of the freshest, beef and pork, cheese 



202 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

and good butter, dried and canned fruits and sundries. 
With the sun's setting rays we fired our opportune and 
ample provider and left her to her fate. A little Baltimore 
schooner was our next capture. She was of little value 
and her cargo neutral, so we transferred the prisoners of 
the Cook to her and let her go on ransom bond. She had 
not even given us a chase, and like many things in life 
what is most easilv won is little valued! 



Chapter XI 

We sighted many neutral vessels within the next few 
days, and one Spanish frigate that at first gave us quite a 
scare, not knowing but she might be the enemy about to 
"gobble us up" in the dead hour of midnight. As she 
took no notice of us we concluded she was a Spanish 
frigate bound for Cuba. We sighted and afterwards over- 
hauled a French bark, that took no notice of the blank car- 
tridge we fired. The boarding officer asked the Frenchman 
"why he took no notice of the cartridge, but waited for 
the shot?" The angry monsieur replied : "I and my gov- 
ernment are not fighting anybody ! There is no war go- 
ing on with my people" (a most astonishing fact with his 
mercurial race!), and he shrugged his shoulders with a 
Frenchman's disgust. In the early part of December the 
boatswain had called out "all hands in white frocks and 
trousers for muster," when suddenly came the prolonged 
and ringing cry, "sail ho!" "Where away?" cried the 
officer of the deck. "Broad on the port bow, a large 
steamer, brig rigged." I took the trumpet and called out, 
"All hands work ship !" In twenty minutes we were ready. 
Unfortunately, she was in the wrong direction for a Cali- 
fornia steamer, such as we wanted. She was northwest 
instead of southeast. We scrutinized her closely. She 
had no guns, so must be a packet ship. All her awnings 
were set, and under those on the upper deck were a crowd 
of passengers, male and female, and as we drew nearer 
we could see that there were officers in uniforms and sol- 
diers in groups. The scene was stirring and beautiful. 
The steamer must have suspected our nationality, and she 
evidently hoped to reach the marine league, and steered 
for the Cuban coast. We gave chase, but finding she 



304 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

would not stop we threw a solid shot over her deck. It 
was an excellent shot and took a chip out of her foremast, 
and she stopped instantly. We then steamed up to her 
and sent a boarding officer on board. He soon returned 
and reported her the American Steamer Arid, from New 
York, with five hundred passengers, besides one hundred 
and fifty marines and some naval officers going out to 
join the Pacific Squadron. She was a prize of the white 
elephant style and dimensions, except the prisoners to be 
paroled. We held her a day or two, in hopes of getting 
a smaller ship to take passengers and crew, that we might 
burn her. To secure her we sent our engineer to take out 
a part of her machinery and disable her temporarily. Our 
boarding officer. Lieutenant Armstrong, reported all alarm 
on board among the ladies, but when Captain Semmes 
sent him back to take charge of her with the promise and 
assurance that no ill should befall them, they were so won 
by his courtesy that the fairest among the prisoners began 
to ask for his bright Confederate buttons as souvenirs of 
this occasion, and he came back with very few buttons on 
his uniform and fell into the tailor's hands ! 

The night we were in company with the Ariel we sighted 
a sail, which proved to be a foreigner, but in returning 
from the chase, stopping our engine suddenly, a part of 
the machinery snapped and totally disabled us from mov- 
ing by steam. This we kept a secret, however, for our 
prize could easily have escaped us had she known it. At 
daylight the next morning Captain Semmes sent for the 
captain of the Arid and told him that the chase we boarded 
the night before reported to him that the yellow fever was 
raging in Kingston, Jamaica, where he had intended to 
land his prisoners and burn the Arid, but humanity for- 
bade his landing helpless women and children in a pest- 
stricken city, so he preferred releasing him on proper ran- 
som bond, return his machinery, and allow him to proceed 
with his ship. This he gladly assented to, and the papers 
were drawn up to that effect. When he returned to the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 205 

ship the ladies called for "three cheers for Captain Semmes 
and the Alabama," which were heartily given, with a wav- 
ing of handkerchiefs and adieus. I find the following letter 
in my old package, written at this time, that may be more 
graphic than my memory : 

We found no trouble in running clear of the San Jacinto the night 
we left Martinique, from whence we steamed quietly down to an island 
on the Spanish Main, where we filled up with coals from the Bark 
Agrippina, which preceded us, sailing again in a few days. Since then 
we have captured one bark and a California steamer outward bound. 
She had no gold aboard, but we had the greater satisfaction of placing 
on parole one hundred and fifty United States Marines, besides several 
prominent Navy officers on their way out to join the Pacific Squadron. 
Among these officers was Captain Sartori, whom you may remember 
commanded the little steamer on which my friend Gillis was lieutenant, 
at the Pensacola Navy Yard. I saw him, but had no talk with him. 
He was honest enough to tell Mr. Low, who was prize master of the 
Ariel, that he "should state to his Government the erroneous reports 
in circulation about the Alabama, for himself and every passenger on 
board — amounting in all to about seven hundred — and received the most 
courteous treatment." Holding the place he does as an officer in the 
Navy, I am compelled to place confidence in his voluntary proffered 
statement. We have, however, had statements before of prisoners who, 
upon reaching their homes, have falsified themselves; but we care not 
for their report of us, so long as we conscientiously serve the right- 
eous cause of our country. The latest news we have of the war was 
by that steamer, which brought us dates up to December ist. The 
two armies were then on either side of the river at Fredericksburg, our 
forces under General Lee and the enemy under General Burnside. We 
doubt if the great battle will be fought there, as it gives the enemy 
every advantage in ready communication for supplies and reinforce- 
ments. That a battle has been fought, and one of great importance, 
during the past month, I think there is little doubt. The North seem 
impatient to have their new favorite, Burnside, lead his army into battle, 
and I hope General Lee will give him a good drubbing (if he has not 
already done so). I have great fears for our poor seaboard, where their 
gunboats can operate so effectively. Charleston and Mobile have no 
doubt been attacked by their ironclads, with what result it is difficult 
for us to conjecture! I also notice in the papers their raids on our 
salt-works and lumber mills, when the Mcintosh County Dragoons 
peppered them sharply on two occasions. Once upon going up Sapelo 



206 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

River past Belleville they must have gone within three miles of our 
place, and perhaps have abducted more of our negroes ; and again I 
notice they went up tO' the Ridge in a couple of steamers, landing a 
hundred or two armed negroes to reconnoiter (they say) while their 
boats loaded with lumber. They were fired upon sharply from the 
undergrowth and the amied negroes made a masterly retreat to the 
boats ! Upon reading this I concluded that we had no force there, but 
a few of our friends and relations with shotguns and rifles must have 
taken shelter in the undergrowth and frightened them ofif. What an 
outrage on the civilization of the nineteenth century ! Arming our own 
negroes to murder our families ! We hear that Mr. Lincoln's fiat has 
gone forth liberating four million slaves on the first day of January. 
Truly he is a mighty man! 

Our young boarding officer was struck with the conduct 
of the male passengers of the Ariel. Their watches disap- 
peared Hke lightning! They flew to their trunks and be- 
gan overhauling them in the most anxious, secretive man- 
ner. 'T really believe," said he, "they think us no better 
than their Northern horde of thieves plundering dwelling 
houses and robbing defenseless women and children." We 
spent a day or two at repairs, then being in no hurry we 
sailed to the southward and westward and carefully feeling 
our way along the Yucatan Banks we entered the Gulf of 
Mexico. We sighted a bark standing in the same direc- 
tion as ourselves. Who should it be but the old Scotch 
captain and the good Ship Agrippina. We had made the 
voyage from the east point of Cuba without sighting a 
sail. The ocean seemed lonely indeed. The day after 
sighting the Agrippina we both stood in to the anchorage 
together at the Areas Cayes, our rendezvous. It was now 
the 22d day of December. Here we passed the holy sea- 
son of Christmas. The time so full of home delights and 
good cheer was to be to us but a time of memories and 
work. I find a letter written at that time. 

Arcas Cayes, C. S. Str. Alabama. 

December 25th, 1862. 
I take advantage of a quiet Sunday (the last of the old year) to write 
you, not by a mail steamer, and you may never get the letter; for it 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 207 

no doubt puzzles even the Yankees to fix our whereabouts at the present 
time, but look on the chart of the world that hangs in your father's 
library, and in the Gulf of Mexico you can find where I spent my Christ- 
mas — latitude 26° 12' north, longitude 91° 53' west — which spot you 
will find on the Yucatan Banks, west coast. A snug harbor, formed by 
the little industrious insects of the sea. Three small islands, or cayes, 
as they are called, form our harbor. Each a few hundred yards only in 
circumference, and the largest of them not over ten feet above the level 
of the sea. These coral reefs, although they do not shelter us from the 
force of the wind which blows violently during the frequent northers 
at this season of the year, yet form a complete breakwater, so that we 
may ride safely at our anchors, having a distant view upon the horizon 
to watch the approach of an enemy. Upon the largest of these cayes is 
a fisherman's hut, unoccupied at this season, but containing nets and 
all the implements for taking turtles during the summer, when they 
abound. We have taken the liberty of using the nets and have suc- 
ceeded in taking a few turtles. The most interesting sight on shore, 
however, are the sea birds, which flock here in great numbers to rear 
their young. It is beautiful to witness the anxious defense the old 
birds make for the protection of their young ducklings ; nor will the 
old ones be drawn or driven from their nests, unless forcibly removed 
or killed. This fearlessness, however, is to be attributed in a measure 
to their ignorance of the depravity or wickedness of man, of which I 
have no doubt they will be taught a lesson before we leave, for our 
men, so long at sea, are feasting on fresh eggs and young ducklings, 
notwithstanding their fishy flavor. 

January ist, 1863. Another New Year has rolled around, but alas, 
how few the inmates of unbroken homes in our beloved Southland that 
are permitted to-day to greet each other with the time-honored saluta- 
tion, "A happy New Year!" Let us not sorrow or despond, but rather 
lift up grateful hearts that we are still able to defend our homes and 
firesides from the wicked invasion of the hordes of the enemy and their 
vandal minions, and God grant that ere another year rolls around our 
land may rejoice in peace and acknowledged independence! 

In one of the early days of the new year, having coaled 
ship abundantly and gotten everything in trim, we got 
under way from the Areas Cayes and began our cruise to 
Galveston harbor. We gave ourselves five days for the 
trip, and but for a calm that delayed a day we should have 
reached our destination on the loth of January. As it 
was, the afternoon of the nth found us with the ship 



308 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

headed for the Galveston lighthouse. The man at the 
masthead was instructed to look out for an immense fleet 
anchored there. After what seemed a season of weary 
waiting to us, the cry came, "Land ho! sail ho!" But 
what a damper! No fieet; five vessels of war only. Pres- 
ently a shell or two, thrown by one of the steamers, burst 
over the city. "Well," said the captain in astonishment, 
"they would not be firing on their own people. Galveston 
is recaptured and Banks's great expedition a failure!" 
And this proved true. General Magruder, with the assist- 
ance of Captain Leon Smith and a couple of river steam- 
boats, with a number of sharpshooters on board, had driven 
the fleet to sea. The recapture of the city had changed 
the plans of the great expedition. Banks afterwards made 
the invasion of Texas by the Red River Valley, and was 
met and repulsed by the gallant Dick Taylor. 

While we were talking over the changed condition of 
affairs, deciding that it would not be safe to tackle five 
men-of-war, each one of which was doubtless more than a 
match for us, the lookout cried from aloft, "One of the 
steamers is coming in chase of us." This was a new role 
for the Alabama! She had done a good deal of chasing, 
but never been chased before. What was to be done? 
We must show our heels till we got out of sight of the fleet. 
Li ten minutes we had up steam and started on our decoy. 
We furled sails and cleared ship for action. We were now 
about twenty miles from the fleet. The enemy, approach- 
ing on our starboard bow, took position on our starboard 
quarter. We were now within a hundred yards of each 
other, heading in the same direction, when both engines 
stopped. The enemy hailed, "What ship is that?" We 
replied, "Her Britannic Majesty's Ship Petrel." We de- 
manded, "Who are you?" but only heard United States 

Ship ," name lost to us. The stranger said, "If you 

please, I will send a boat on board of you." Captain 
Semmes turned to me and said, "Are you ready for 
action?" I replied, "The men are only waiting for the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 209 

word." He said, "Don't strike them in disguise; tell them 
who we are, and give the broadside at the name." I took 
the trumpet and sang out, "This is the Confederate States 
Steamer Alabama — fire !" Away went the broadside. The 
wind was blowing in the direction of the fleet, and the 
Federal Admiral must have heard the guns and realized 
that the vessel he sent in chase had a fight on hand. 

The Alabama fought starboard broadside and her an- 
tagonist port broadside, and each ship under steam it 
became a running light. Our men handled their guns 
well. The action was sharp and decisive, and did not last 
long. Just thirteen minutes after the firing began the 
enemy fired an ofT gun, a signal of defeat. Our men sent 
up a wild cheer. We steamed close to the vanquished 
steamer and asked if they surrendered. The captain re- 
plied that he did. We then offered assistance, and he 
said his ship was sinking, and he needed our boats. They 
were promptly sent. In his report Captain Blake says: 
"After considerable delay [it no doubt seemed so to him] 
caused by the report that a steamer was coming from Gal- 
veston, the Alabama sent us assistance, and I have the 
pleasure of informing the Department that every hving 
being was conveyed safely from the Hatter as to the Ala- 
bama" 

Immediately after our fight with the Hattcras we made 
sail. When clear of all chances of pursuit we hoisted the 
propeller and put sail on, as we were running before a 
northerly gale of wind. The next morning I was on deck 
very early, looking after the clearing up of ship and put- 
ting things in order after the fight, when Captain Blake 
came up on deck. Having known him in the old service, 
he saluted me, "How do you do, Mr. Kell? Fortune 
favors the brave, sir." I thanked him and replied, "We 
take advantage of all fortune's favors." We ran on with 
a spanking breeze, and that day sighted and came up with 
a ship. It was our coal ship, the Agrippina. The old 
Scotchman dipped his colors by way of saluting, and we 

14 



210 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

returned the salute. He little dreamed what work we had 
accomplished since we parted from him a few days before. 
We continued our course with favorable winds till we ap- 
proached Kingston, Jamaica, when we lowered our pro- 
peller and steamed into the harbor. Here we met the 
English admiral of the West India Squadron. Captain 
Semnies reported his arrival with a number of prisoners. 
After communicating with the authorities on shore we 
were permitted to land them, which we did after paroling. 
Captain Semmes. feeling the want of rest and relief from 
the life on shipboard, accepted the invitation of a friend 
on shore and visited him at his bungalow on the heights, 
leaving me in charge of the ship to coal and repair dam- 
ages received in the fight, which amounted to a few shot 
holes and some rigging cuts, all of which was soon attended 
to and the men given liberty. In the company of our 
recent prisoners all were "hail fellow well met!" Our 
men, carried away with victory, many of them got glori- 
ously drunk, and gave me a good deal of trouble to get 
them back and properly sobered. After reporting all 
things in readiness. Captain Semmes returned on board, 
quite refreshed from his rest, giving us a glorious descrip- 
tion of the difference of temperature he had enjoyed up in 
the hills. We then got the ship ready for sea and pro- 
ceeded on our way. 



Chapter XII 

We left Port Royal harbor late in January — about the 
25th — bound for the coast of Brazil. We passed through 
a heavy sea, with a stiff northeaster blowing, but by morn- 
ing the wind had moderated and the sun rose bright and 
clear. The first business on hand was a few trial cases 
and courts-martial of our delinquents and culprits of the 
few days' stay at Jamaica. These were scarcely disposed 
of when "sail ho !" greeted the morning air and our Hsten- 
ing ears from the mast-head. The tapering masts and 
fluttering sails in the idle breeze proclaimed her nation- 
ality. She was the Golden Ride, for Aspinwall, and be- 
longed to the Atlantic & Pacific Steamship Company. We 
had the satisfaction of burning with this prize a complete 
set of masts, rigging, etc., meant for the United States 
Brig Bainbridge, that had lately been swept of everything 
of the kind in a gale off the coast of Aspinwall. We also 
destroyed a lot of patent medicines. Salt air is very 
healthy and bracing, and we did not expect to need any 
of them in our voyage to the distant Cape of Good Hope 
and the East. The weather was not good at this time; 
we had head winds to labor against, with diminished speed, 
and sometimes stifif northeasters blowing — great trials to 
the mariner. We boarded a brig, but she was Spanish, 
bound for Havana. Later in the night we hove another 
sail to with a shot, and sent a boat on board of her. She 
was the Chatelaine, of Boston, just from Guadalupe, where 
she had discharged a cargo, and was now on her way to 
Cuba for sugar and rum for the Bostonians. We saved 
her the trouble of another cargo, and she lit up the heights 
of Alta Vela, a mountain of rock about fifteen miles from 
the mainland of San Domingo, and frightened the sea 



312 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

birds, if there were no other eyes to witness the confla- 
gration. 

We steamed eastward and anchored off the old town of 
San Domingo. Here we landed our prisoners of the two 
captured ships. There is no city in the world of more 
historic interest than this old city of San Domingo. It 
was the temporary home of Christopher Columbus, and 
his last resting place for two and a half centuries. Here 
his son, Diego Columbus, was sent to enjoy a position of 
vice-royalty. The ruins of the Palacio of Diego are still 
to be seen, and also those of the Dominican Monastery, 
that once sheltered three hundred monks. Who can con- 
jecture at this late period, or what imagination picture, 
the sorrows of their loveless, homeless, human lives ! Yet 
the self-abnegation with some devout souls must have 
found its compensation in the comforting love that some- 
times fills the hearts of those that "have left all to follow 
Him." On the cession of the Island of Haiti to France, 
the remains of Columbus and his brother, Bartholomew, 
were removed to Havana. San Domingo was founded by 
Bartholomew Columbus in 1496. The great earthquakes 
of 1684 and 1 69 1 are responsible for the ruin of the mag- 
nificent buildings that once adorned this historic ground, 
though there has also been much vandaHsm in later peri- 
ods, when Sir Francis Drake took the city by assault, and 
in the years 1822 to 1825, when the Haitians themselves 
occupie,d the city for its spohation and desecration. At 
the time of our visit its greatness was but a memory and 
a dream. There were but three craft in its waters, our 
own one of them. Haiti has been truly called the "Para- 
dise of the negro." Here fruit abounds the year round. 
Fish is always abundant. The generous sunshine allows 
them to do with very Httle clothing, which the Yankee 
skipper can supply at small cost, and the people revel in 
idleness. We tried to make an early start from this land 
of ease, but the usual supplies of the market, butchers and 
fruit vendors, all on board for the last refreshing supplies, 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 213 

detained us. Finally getting rid of the motley crowd we 
turned our head to the eastward and steamed away. The 
day's run was quiet, and after nightfall we entered the 
Mona Passage. 

Our first capture after leaving San Domingo was the 
Schooner Palmetto, bound from New York for Porto Rico. 
We had a chase of some hours to get her, but her papers 
concealed nothing, made no attempts at neutrality, and her 
cargo being provisions we helped ourselves to all articles 
needed, and burned her. The next day we descried four 
sails. The first we gave chase to, but she was to windward 
and a long way ahead. To secure her we might lose the 
other three. We abandoned her and gave chase to two 
of the others. We felt sure they were both Americans, 
they were so tall and white. One was steering to the east- 
ward and one to the westward. The first was evidently 
drawing us on to allow the other to escape. Taking her, 
we put a prize crew on board and started in pursuit of the 
other. She was less obstinate than her confrere and hove 
to at the first gun. She was the Bark Olive Jane, wine 
laden from Bordeaux for New York. Not a bottle of 
brandy or a basket of champagne saw the decks of the 
Alabama! The sea maidens and their lovers must have 
drank a libation to the God of War if the flames left any 
to go down to their seashells and coral homes beneath 
the waves ! We then turned to our first prize. She was 
the Golden Eagle, for San Francisco from the Pacific 
Islands, cargo guano. We burned her. Though she was 
the Golden Eagle, she (or her cargo) must not be allowed 
to make the golden grain for our enemies when we had 
hardly enough for the helpless women and children at 
home ! A day or two after the capture of these two ships 
we sighted four more sails, all bound for Europe. One 
was French, the other three Enghsh. The next day a lone 
Portuguese passed us. The following day we came along 
with a Dutch brig and an English bark, also an English 
four-master — in none of these did we take special interest. 



214 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

The next morning the lookout reported seven sails, all 
bound for Europe, all neutral. Truly we were getting 
into good company. Our dear Maury had so marked the 
pathways of the sea that they were like the highways of 
the land, easy to pass by his charts, the lighted lanterns 
of the deep ! 

We next sighted an English ship, and an American 
almost in her company. The English one saluted us in 
passing. The American was very chary, and evidently 
tried to get out of the way. We sent her a shot that made 
her yield. The boarding officer found her with a cargo 
of guano from the Chincha Islands, belonging to the Peru- 
vian Government, bound for Antwerp. She was the ship 
Washingtoii (great only in name). We released her on 
ransom bond on account of her neutral cargo, and put our 
prisoners on board of her to be landed. On the ist day 
of March we found ourselves in the early morning most 
unexpectedly (for the night had been dark) within a mile 
or two of a tall American. A gun was all that was re- 
quired to bring her nearer to us, and we certainly wanted 
her mail or late newspapers. She was the John A. Parks, 
of Maine, and had lumber on board, bound for Monte- 
video. We helped ourselves for our carpenter, who was 
transported with delight. With all our captures we had 
never had anything in his line. He had to be remon- 
strated with, lest he should want it all, as we could not 
accommodate a cargo of lumber on our little ship all at 
one time. We burned the Parks. The coveted mail both 
amused and aggravated us. In these papers came news 
that the "new rebel pirate Florida had put to sea to assist 
the British pirate Alabama in her work of destruction to 
American commerce," etc. 

At this time, while the John A. Parks was still burning, 
we came up with an English bark that kindly took our 
prisoners, the Captain of the Parks, his wife and two 
nephews, to land them in England. Our next capture 
was the Bethiah Thayer, from the Chincha Islands, with 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 215 

guano for the Government of Peru. We ransomed her. 
We were now nearing the equator. We met a number 
of sails, but all were neutral. About midnight on the 15th 
of March (the weather was very thick and cloudy) the 
lookout roused us with "sail ho, close aboard !" We 
hailed, but she flew on the wings of the wind. We wore 
ship and made sail in pursuit, and used all the expedition 
we could, but by the time our preparations were made she 
was nearly out of sight. Between three and four o'clock 
we had gained on her so efifectually as to heave her to 
with a gun. She was the Punjaub, of Boston; cargo, jute 
and linseed oil. The cargo being properly certified Eng- 
lish property, we released her on ransom bond and sent 
the prisoners from the Bethiah Thayer on board of her to 
be landed. On the morning of the 23d of March we made 
two captures. The Morning Star, of Boston, and the King- 
fisher, of Fair Haven, Massachusetts. We released the 
first on ransom bond and burned the latter. She was a 
little whaler, and her crew of twenty-five or thirty men all 
Portuguese. We were now in sight of the commerce of 
the world and never out of sight of sails. At the crossing 
of the equator (as all mariners know) the weather is apt 
to be capricious. Sometimes a thunder storm, followed by 
light airs and calms. Two days after burning the King- 
Usher we made two captures, the Charles Hill and the Nora, 
both of Boston, bound for liverpool. We took forty tons 
of coal and half a dozen recruits from these ships and then 
burned them. 

On the 19th of March we crossed the equator. There 
was a dense and blinding rainfall, and the great equatorial 
current was setting to the westward. We had to abandon 
a chase at this juncture, losing her in the gloom and dark- 
ness. The weather continued raining, with fitful gusts 
and calms, for several days. The 3d of April the clouds 
lifted in the early morning watch and showed us a tall, 
fine ship going to the southward. The wind died away, 
which was a great help to us, but towards noon a heavy 



216 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

rain set in, when we lost sight of her for a time. We steered 
in her supposed direction, however, chased all day, and 
about five o'clock in the afternoon we sent a whaleboat 
out to find her and halt her, and a boarding officer to take 
possession. Night was setting in. We hoisted a light 
to guide them in our direction. In two hours more she 
was alongside of us, a prize. She was the Louisa Hatch, 
of Maine, with a cai'go of coal for the Island of Ceylon. 
What a godsend in mid-ocean ! Hundreds of tons of 
coal nearing the Brazilian coast, where coal, from its scar- 
city, always brings from fifteen to twenty dollars a ton. 
Our old Scotchman and the Agrippina were to meet us 
at Fernando de Noronha, but we could not let the Louisa 
Hatch slip, or destroy her valuable and needed cargo, so 
we put a prize master on board and directed him to keep 
in our company. By the 9th or loth of April we came 
to our anchorage off Fernando de Noronha. The Ship 
Agrippina had never put in an appearance. We concluded 
the old Scotch sinner had grown to regard us as veritable 
pirates, or become afraid of our powerful enemy. We 
knew he had been dispatched to us by our faithful friend 
Captain Bulloch. No doubt he sold the cargo of coal 
elsewhere. We now saw the wisdom and foresight of 
Captain Semmes in holding on to the cargo of the Ship 
Louisa Hatch. 



Chapter XIII 

To THE mariner in these waters the soHd peak of granite 
that marks and adorns the Island of Fernando de Noronha 
is nothing new, but it must always excite wonder and 
admiration as one of the marvelous freaks of Nature in 
this volcanic region of the earth. The Island is made use 
of by Brazil as a penal settlement. It is well guarded by 
troops, and has a Brazilian army officer in command, but 
having very little trade and little communication with the 
outside world a more lonely, out-of-the-way rendezvous 
could not have been chosen for us. It has some little farm- 
ing interest, worked by the convicts, and we were able to 
get some fresh supplies. We went through the usual cus- 
tom of communicating our arrival to the Governor of the 
Island and he sent an aide to call. The Island is in some 
parts quite fertile, and I remember that we ate there the 
ycung cocoanut in its custard-Hke stage, when it can be 
dipped out of its shell with a spoon, and is very delicious. 
Captain Senimes and Dr. Gait called upon the governor 
and found him at a late breakfast, which he insisted upon 
their partaking of, after which they had cigars, and then 
horses were ordered that they might accompany the gov- 
ernor in his '"morning constitutional." His family were, 
to say the least of it, "caste," but we were not expected 
to take notice of so small a matter as that in foreign coun- 
tries ! 

It took us some time to coal, and while we were lying 
in port with the Louisa Hatch beside us, two ships (evi- 
dently whalers) came in, hove to, and lowered boats. Their 
object was to barter sperm oil for supplies. As we had 
no flag in sight they could not know our nationality. They 
innocently inquired, and our prize master told them "we 



218 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

were a Brazilian steamer bringing convicts." They 
seemed suspicious of us. We quietly got up steam and 
moved outside and reconnoitered. They were outside 
the marine league. We fired as we drew near, and they 
made no resistance. One was the Bark Lafayette, of New 
Bedford; we made short work of her. The other was the 
Kate Cory, of Westport. We were going to make use of 
the latter to convey our prisoners (now quite numerous) 
to be landed, but a Brazilian schooner that had come to 
anchor offered to take the prisoners to Pernambuco if we 
would reward them for their trouble by giving them a 
few barrels of flour and pork. This we consented to do, 
and so we burned the Cory. We remained some days 
after coaling, hoping the Agrippina would come, but 
finally giving her up, we went to sea. This was now the 
latter part of April, and with our bunkers filled and all 
hands refreshed by a season of rest, we steamed forty or 
fifty miles to the eastward, let the steam go down, raised 
the propeller, and quietly began our usual work of watch- 
ing for the enemy's ships. 

We had been but twenty-four hours out when the signal 
was given, "sail ho!"' Another whaler, thoroughly satu- 
rated with oil, returning home after a three years' cruise 
in the Pacific Ocean. She was the Bark Nye. We 
burned her. The next day we took the Dorcas Prince, 
of New York, bound for Shanghai. The Prince was 
forty days or more out and her newspapers were old. We 
transferred the master, his wife and crew, and burned the 
ship. For some days we overhauled nothing. We re- 
ceived through courtesy some papers from a St. John's, 
New Brunswick, ship, but they had nothing interesting 
in them. On the 3d day of May we gave chase to a fine 
clipper ship and took her, the Union Jack by name. While 
we were pursuing the Union Jack another sail hove in 
sight. She also became a prize — the Sealark, of New 
York, bound for San Francisco. Both ships were burned. 
From these ships we obtained late papers and found that 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 219 

the "Stars and Stripes were waving over half the slave 
States ! In thirty days Charleston would be taken and 
the Mississippi opened." All very discouraging news to 
us, but only the greater inducement for vigor in our work. 
We were making our way toward Bahia with the crews 
of our prizes, four in number, that must be gotten rid of, 
as they were more than we could hold with comfort. We 
reached the anchorage off this city on the nth of May. 
The bay and city of Bahia are beautiful and imposing. 
The city is divided into two parts — upper and lower Ba- 
hia. The harbor is so commodious as to take in vessels 
of any size. Bahia was originally the Capital of Brazil, 
but about the year 1763 the viceroyalty was transferred 
to Rio Janeiro. There are few cities of its size that have 
as many fine public buildings, or as much natural beauty. 
When one ascends into the hills upon which beautiful 
residences, as well as public buildings, are situated, the 
eye takes in the scene below like a vast amphitheatre with 
the lovely bay in front of it. I think the people of Bahia 
were disposed to be very kind to us, though we had been 
preceded in our visit there by very condemnatory articles 
in their papers, complaining of our destruction of the two 
ships outside the marine league at the island off their 
coast. The captain with his command of international 
law soon set them right about that matter. We were a 
week or more in Bahia, enjoying all the hospitalities of its 
citizens and the salubriousness of its cHmate. The men 
had their runs on shore, and a British merchant gave a 
very handsome ball to the officers of our ship. 

The morning after this entertainment a steamer of war 
made its appearance in the bay, but showed no colors, it 
not being the hour for hoisting them. We showed them 
our colors, and quickly in reply was the Confederate flag 
thrown to the breeze. It was the Georgia, commanded 
by Wm. L. Maury. She had come in to meet her coal- 
ship, ordered here to rendezvous. Our old brother offi- 
cers of the Siimtcr, Chapman and Evans, were on board 



230 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

of her. It was a joy to meet again and hold pleasant in- 
tercourse with them in a brotherly way, to exchange our 
experiences in the time we had been parted, and express 
our hopes of meeting again at home in brighter times. In 
a few days we were ready for sea again. 

On the 25th of May (a day or two out of Bahia) the 
shout of "sail ho !" from the masthead served to remind 
us that we had regained the track of commerce on the 
pathway of the deep. We were preparing to chase, when 
"sail ho!"' rang out again. The ships were in the same 
direction. We had a rough time boarding and overhaul- 
ing them. They were the Gilderslievc, a New York ship, 
from London, with coals for some navigation company; 
the other, the Justina, a Baltimore ship. We put the pris- 
oners of the first ship on the Justina and released her (as 
some of her cargo was neutral) on ransom bond and 
burned the Gilderslievc. The next evening we began a 
chase that consumed the night and amounted to nothing, 
being only a Dutchman ! The next evening we had a 
successful chase of the Jabes Snozv, of Buckport, Maine, 
from Cardiff, with coals for Montevideo. We took pro- 
visions and cordage and consigned her to the flames. Our 
next capture was the Bark Amazonian, of Boston, bound 
for Montevideo. We turned over our prisoners to an 
English brig to be landed in Rio Janeiro, where he was 
going, paying well for the courtesy in provisions. The 
next capture was the Clipper Ship Talisman, from New 
York, bound for Shanghai. She made no pretense at 
neutrality, and we burned her. 

The coast of Brazil is at all times and in all weathers a 
dangerous coast, being coral bound, and coasting there 
can never be a pleasure to the seaman from the amount 
of anxiety it involves. We were now in the winter season 
of this country, for their June is as our December, and 
we experienced some miserable weather. In the middle 
of June we were compelled to put on our winter clothing 
to be comfortable. On the 20th of June we captured the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 221 

Bark Conrad. She was a very pretty little vessel, and 
Captain Semmes resolved to make a cruiser of her. We 
had captured and taken from the Talisman two rifled 12- 
pounders (brass), which we transferred to our cruiser. 
Acting Lieutenant Low was made captain, Midshipman 
George T. Sinclair, first Heutenant; Adolphe Marmelstein, 
second lieutenant, and two young seamen watch officers, 
and we gave them ten men. Twenty rifles and half a 
dozen revolvers completed the armament. We called her 
the Tuscaloosa, being the offspring of Alabama. When 
the Tuscaloosa hoisted the Confederate colors three cheers 
were given by the Alabama. The cheers were heartily 
answered by the small crew of the newly-commissioned 
ship. The youthful captain and crew made sail on their 
cruise, our first appointed meeting to be at the Cape of 
Good Hope. 

We now passed some little time of inactivity. We 
overhauled a good many ships, but all were neutrals. 
Either our enemy were learning the "tricks of trade," or 
were too much engaged at home to take care of their 
commerce abroad, or possibly they were "gaining wisdom 
by experience" and were daily growing more wary of the 
few little Confederate cruisers that were trying to do what 
they could for their blockaded homes and country. It 
was late in June or the first of July that we next sighted an 
American. We were actually by this time in search of 
food. The ship's bread had become both stale and weevil- 
eaten, and we were hoping daily to fall in with a well-pro- 
visioned ship. This only could prevent our going all the 
way to Rio Janeiro for breadstuffs. As Captain Blake, of 
the Hatfems, had once facetiously observed, "fortune 
favors the brave," and the shot we sent across the bow of 
our next capture made the ship heave to speedily. She 
was the Anna Schmidt, from Boston, for San Francisco; 
cargo, sundries, which means everything — food, clothing, 
medicines, all required for the use of man, and "Boston 
notions" thrown in for good measure ! Such Boston 



222 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

bread, biscuits, and crackers, and all so fresh and good ! 
There was no attempt at protection papers, so we helped 
ourselves hugely (with thankful hearts) and burned her, 
after our task of lightening her cargo was finished. We 
had grown so accustomed to these duties that the days 
were very monotonous when such work did not present 
itself. We next took the Ship Express, of Boston, from 
Callao, for Antwerp; cargo, guano from the Chincha 
Islands. The papers were not satisfactory and the ship 
was burned. The master of the Express had his wife and 
a lady friend on board, and though they were just from 
Cape Horn there seemed no alternative but that we must 
take them to the Cape of Good Hope. In the travel of 
several hundred miles we now made we sighted but one 
ship. 

Captain Semmes thought it best to go first to Saldanha 
Bay, as we did not know how many Yankee men-of-war 
we might find waiting for us at the Cape of Good Hope. 
We arrived at Saldanha Bay on the 28th of July, 1863. 
Saldanha Bay is in Cape Colony, South Africa, fifty or 
sixty miles north-northwest of Cape Town. It has a fine 
anchorage at all seasons of the year, and is the station in 
this part of the world for the Dutch East India Squadron 
on the west side. It seems hard to understand or appre- 
ciate that it should not hold the place in the commercial 
world that Cape Town does. It is really a land-locked 
harbor, where ships of any size may ride at anchor safely, 
while the gales at Cape Town sometimes cause even the 
sailor's stout heart to tremble and his cheek to blanch with 
fear. Arriving at Saldanha Bay we were surprised to find 
nothing at anchor. We communicated with the shore for 
supplying the ship with fresh provisions, and sent the 
seine for securing fish. The fishermen had fine success 
and reported the bay "grand fishing ground." The orig- 
inal settlers of Saldanha were exclusively Dutch, but the 
country has for many years past been in the hands of the 
English. At the time of our arrival there, late in July, we 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 223 

might have expected bad weather, as the month of August 
would correspond with February in the northern hemi- 
sphere, but their winter had not set in, or rather was un- 
precedentedly mild, and to us delightful. We set to work 
with a hearty good will to overhaul ship, to look after 
her machinery, rigging, caulking, repainting, etc. Those 
not required for the necessary work were given all the 
delight of going on shore in search of pleasure and amuse- 
ment, and "Jack" had in turn his "liberty days" to idle and 
frolic. Although immediately at the anchorage the shore 
looked barren and rocky, with immense granite boulders 
and precipices on every hand, proceed a little and Nature 
asserts her right to deck the earth in verdure, and affords 
excellent grasses for sheep, that are abundant, and cattle, 
that are plentiful, but rather undersized. Far back in 
the interior game is fine and hunting a grand sport. 
Pheasants are abundant, the deer is native in several varie- 
ties, rabbits and quail in bountiful supply, to say nothing 
of the wilder sport, for the ostrich in its native plains, 
the lion and tiger in their jungles, and still further inland 
the majestic elephant is at home. 

We were thronged with visitors. All came with ex- 
tended hands, for the English papers had proclaimed our 
"piratical deeds," and all seemed anxious to welcome the 
sea-rover to their shores. The captain had many timely 
presents to express his gratification over — wild peacock 
to dine on, ostrich eggs fresh for breakfast, one enough 
for breakfast for the mess; pheasants and quails, and a 
superb bunch of ostrich feathers (worth several hundred 
dollars) as a souvenir of his visit. We were kept busy, 
notwithstanding our other work, in showing the Boers, 
and sometimes their families, over the ship, to their great 
pleasure and admiration. When my work was done in 
superintending the overhauling of the ship I took a little 
jaunt and recreation, feeling the need of rest and diversion 
for mind and body. 



334 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Having been invited by one of our young visitors (a 
very prominent Boer) to visit him at his home a few miles 
distant and join him in an ostrich hunt, we made our 
preparation for the same. Leaving the ship early in the 
morning, we took horses and rode to his farm, where we 
found a sumptuous breakfast awaiting us. We had no 
idea such delicious dishes could be made of the fish which 
cling to the rocks on these shores, the shells of which we 
had been collecting as specimens for their great beauty. 
Everything was abundant and delightfully served, and 
greatly enjoyed by those wdio had been three months at 
sea, and with appetites sharpened by a horseback ride in 
the early morning. After breakfast we prepared for our 
hunt. Our friend and host was greatly disappointed that 
we had brought shotguns instead of rifles. We thought 
buckshot would be best to secure the birds, but he told 
us ''that they would have very little effect on the hard 
bones of these enormous birds." Four of us got into 
what he termed his "African spring cart" (though we 
failed to find much spring), he taking the driver's seat and 
driving four horses. We drove several miles, when he 
pointed out a little rising ground, where he said he had 
sometimes seen the birds feeding. We began our look- 
out and in a few minutes sighted three fine ostriches. He 
explained to us his mode of approaching them. He drove 
as if to pass them, and made several circles around the 
birds. They took very little notice of us, only raising 
their heads occasionally to look at us as they fed. As our 
circles drew in and nearer to them, he stopped the cart 
and told us to get out, "as this is a fine opportunity for 
a shot." We quietly got out, took deliberate aim and 
fired — without ruffling a feather! The call to "heave to" 
was disregarded and the majestic birds trotted ofT, appar- 
ently in a slow gait, but making such strides that they 
covered ground very rapidly in a straight line, and as far 
as the eye could reach they were going as fast as a horse 
could run ! By this time our "buck ague" began to pass 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 225 

off, and we realized all the disappointment and chagrin 
of a lost opportunity. We consoled ourselves with shoot- 
ing at some little spring-bok (a small deer peculiar to 
those regions), and returned to a grand dinner, after which 
we drove back to the shore and found our boat in waiting 
to convey us to our ship-home. If we could have re- 
mained long enough our young friend wished to give us 
an elephant hunt and many other pleasures; but the Ala- 
bama like "time and tide [and duty] waits for no man," 
and work gotten through we must ere long leave the 
beautiful waters of Saldanha Bay. 



15 



Chapter XIV 

The creeping shadow that throws its gloom athwart 
the sunshine was in store for us, and grim death (without 
our knowing it) was soon to look into the face of one of 
our fine young ofificers and claim him as his own. Death 
is at all times a sad and gloomy thing, but when it conies — 
dreadful, accidental death — in a foreign land, to one 
young and full of all life's gladness, it is doubly saddening 
and full of horror! We had faced a great deal of danger, 
but grim death kept far away till now. Among the last 
of a party of young hunters to set out for sport and enjoy- 
ment on shore was our third assistant engineer, Cum- 
mings. The party were just returning at sunset, when in 
the act of stepping into the boat his loaded gun struck 
against its side and the load was discharged in Cummings' 
body near the heart, and he fell back dead upon the shore. 
His friends and comrades lifted him tenderly into the boat 
and brought him to the ship to be prepared for his inter- 
ment. We got permission to lay him to his last repose in 
the family graveyard of a farmer, who promised that the 
grave should always be cared for, and with ship's boats 
amounting to six forming a procession, with funeral stroke 
and drooping flags we carried his body ashore. I read 
the beautiful service for the dead over him from my 
prayer-book, and we buried him and left him to his dream- 
less rest, the waters of Saldanha Bay his ceaseless dirge 
till the morning of the resurrection, when the grave (like 
the sea) "shall give up its dead!" His brother of^cers 
raised a subscription among themselves to erect a monu- 
ment to mark the spot where he sleeps the quiet sleep of 
death in the land of the friendly stranger. Many years 
afterwards I had a call in my oflfice in Atlanta from an 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 227 

uncle of Mr. Cummings, and gave him all these details, 
which seemed to comfort and gratify him, and he re- 
marked that he would be so glad to recount it to his 
family, wha had mourned long and deeply for the youth 
who had so sadly passed away from them in his early man- 
hood. 

While at Saldanha Bay Captain Semmes received by a 
little schooner that came in from Cape Town several let- 
ters from the merchants there welcoming us to the Colony 
and offering to supply us with anything we might need, 
especially coals. Early in August we got under way for 
Table Bay. I find an old letter in the packet, which I 
here give, written at that time: 

C. S. Str. Alabama, At Sea, 

July 2Qth, 1863. 
We are now but forty miles from the Cape of Good Hope, and will 
probably run into Simon's Bay to-morrow to land prisoners, learn the 
news, etc. I will take the opportunity of writing, hoping some wave 
of good fortune may attend the receipt in due time of my occasional 
letters, this one among them. My last was written from Bahia two 
months ago. It is now over one year since I have heard from home. 
We have had no news from the United States since the 2d of May. 
You can imagine our anxiety to learn the result of the spring cam- 
paign ; how Fighting Joe Hooker fared in his advance upon Richmond ; 
whether our army in the West holds Tennessee, and has beat Rosen- 
crans ; indeed, if our arms throughout have been victorious, and con- 
quered a peace. If not, then must this cruel, dreadful war continue till 
the end of this Administration, when the Yankees may begin to see 
that the South can never be conquered, and a new President may come 
in on the popular cry of peace measures. 

Simon's Bay, 

August 1 2th. 
I began this letter two weeks ago, but experiencing a gale of wind 
that night, we put into Saldanha Bay. Finding we could not do all 
the repairs necessary, and doing all that we could effect within our- 
selves, we steamed to Cape Town, fifty miles to the southward, and had 
the good fortune of taking our fifty-sixth prize, the Sea-Bride, just as 
she was steering in for the land bound for the same port as ourselves. 
We threw a prize crew on board of her, with orders to stand off the 



328 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

coast and meet us at an appointed rendezvous, and continued our way 
into the harbor. As we approached it was wonderful to behold the 
people congregated on shore. The hillsides were covered with an ex- 
cited populace, and no sooner was our anchor down than hundreds 
crowded on board to see the far-famed Alabama and Captain Semmes. 
Their enthusiasm was beyond description, and their hearty welcome and 
sympathy for our cause truly gratifying. The day following, from early 
dawn "till dusky eve," was a brilliant, gala day, and our visitors can 
only be enumerated by thousands ! The two days following bad wea- 
ther prevented as much visiting on board, yet a few of the more daring 
ones battled with the winds and waves to say they had been on board 
the Alabama! At daylight the next day we got under way and steamed 
around the Cape of Good Hope to this Bay, where we anchored early 
in the afternoon (the Qth), and have been busy at work ever since mak- 
ing the necessary repairs ; so busy, indeed, that I have not been able to 
leave the ship, and in consequence have declined many pressing invita- 
tions of the most kind and complimentary nature. 

August 13th. 
The late news of our glorious victory over Hooker near Fredericks- 
burg, and the gallant defense of Vicksburg, is most cheering, and fills 
our hearts with gratitude to God, and love for our brave and chivalrous 
brothers of the South. The death of our good and noble Stonewall 
Jackson must have caused mourning throughout the land, but his last 
words teach us not to be disconsolate at his loss, since it was God's will 
that he should be taken from us! We are looking hourly for the 
steamer from England, which should bring us news from the United 
States up to the first of July. No doubt important news from Vicks- 
burg, which place has been so formidably attacked by General Grant. 
God grant us victory ! I wrote you all about our putting into commis- 
sion as a cruiser a little prize we took, naming her the Tuscaloosa. 
Armstrong is well, tell his mother, though I hope she will hear from 
him at the same time this reaches you. 

The capture of the Sea-Bride caused a great commotion 
at Cape Town. She was of Boston, from New York, with 
a cargo of provisions and notions for trading on the east 
coast of Africa. We sent an officer on board to procure 
the ship's papers, and bring on board the Alabama the 
captain and crew, with instructions to "lay off and on the 
port" till further communication with him. Just below 
Table Mountain, as it sloped to the sea, the shores were 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 2^9 

covered with the entire population of Cape Town. We 
now steered for the anchorage in the bay. As we started 
for the bay the crowds returned to the wharves in the city 
to secure boats for visiting our ship. No sooner had we 
dropped anchor than the visitors began to crowd our 
decks. The officers and crew took dehght in receiving 
them and in extending to them the hospitahty of our Httle 
vessel. Captain Semmes sat in his cabin receiving the 
ovation tendered him by an admiring populace. Bartelli, 
his faithful and devoted steward, stood at the cabin door 
and received all visitors with laudable pride. The cap- 
tain, with pen in hand, was kept busy writing his auto- 
graph at the request of his lady visitors. The following 
day was a gala day. iVrmy officers and their wives, all 
the city officials and their families called, and we numbered 
visitors from every class and station in life. The captain 
took time, however, to arrange for the sale of our prize 
and cargo for one-third of her value. A speculative Eng- 
lishman was purchaser, whereupon we got up steam and 
communicated with our prize, ordering her up the coast 
to Angra Pequena Bay, situated in the Hottentot country, 
beyond the limit of the British possessions. 

We steamed around the Cape of Good Hope to Simon's 
Bay, the military station of the colony, where we found 
Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker's flagship and other English 
men-of-war. They received us cordially, and we ex- 
changed many pleasant courtesies, they inviting us to 
dine, etc. We remained in port a few days, and then left 
to join our prize and conclude our sale. We found her 
at the place appointed, safely anchored. We went to 
work to break out the cargo, and took such things as we 
needed for provisioning our ship. The Sea-Bride was 
loaded with all the luxuries of the New York market. 
After satisfying our own needs we turned over the remain- 
ing cargo and the ship to the purchaser. He transferred 
the cargo to little coasters, running them into ports in the 
colony, and no doubt realized a good profit. The ship (as 



230 RECOLLECTIONS OFj^. NAVAL LIFE 

we learned afterwards) was an elephant on his hands. 
Taking- in ballast he ran her around the Cape on the east 
coast of Africa and tried to get clearance papers from Por- 
tuguese ports. Failing at that, or to make sale of the 
ship, the last we heard of her she was seen as the "Flying 
Dutchman" of¥ the Cape. So far as we know, thus ended 
the career of the Sca-Bridc. We returned to Simon's 
Bay and received as warm a welcome as upon our first 
visit. 

Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker lived in comfortable style 
in a neat cottage on the bay. He invited Captain Semmes 
and I to dine with himself and stai¥. While at table the 
admiral informed Captain Semmes that "if he intended 
remaining any time he had better change his anchorage 
nearer the shore, to avoid any conflict with the United 
States Vessel of War Vanderbilt, as Captain Baldwin, who 
had dined with him a few days previous, had stated that 
he 'was in pursuit of the Alabama, and did not mean to fire 
a shot at her, but to run her down and sink her !' " Cap- 
tain Semmes quietly replied that "it would take two to 
play at that game; that the Vanderbilt had the speed, being- 
four times as large as the Alabama, but he could turn his 
ship in a very small space, whereas the Vanderbilt, from 
her great length, would require much more room, — which 
reminded him of the chase of the greyhound and the hare. 
The greyhound was with his great speed about to over- 
take the hare, when the hare would turn suddenly and 
dodge out of the way, and the greyhound would go tumb- 
ling on, and lose his game." Admiral Walker, however, 
impressed upon Captain Semmes that "this was the sec- 
ond time the Alabama and Vanderbilt had visited his port 
within a day or two of each other, and possibly the third 
time they might come into collision." After dinner we 
joined the ladies of the family, and found the admiral's 
wife and daughter very charming. At a late hour we 
took leave and returned on board ship, whereupon the 
captain gave orders to "get under way and stand to sea." 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 231 

The next morning we were fifty miles from the Cape, and 
continued under steam and sail that day till we struck the 
"brave West winds" described so graphically by Commo- 
dore Maury in his "Geography of the Sea." 

We now hoisted our propeller, banked fires, and the 
next land we sighted was the Island of Java, in the far 
East, and we never afterwards heard of the Vanderhilt and 
her various pursuits of us till after our return home. She 
chased us very persistently, from all the newspaper ac- 
counts, but apparently it was a chase to keep up appear- 
ances, with no intent to capture. We were constantly 
hearing of her previous to this time, a day or two ahead of 
us, or a day or two following- after us, sometimes almost 
near enough to see each other's smokestacks, but the 
face-to-face meeting did not come! I cannot say that 
we regretted it, for she was much more than twice our 
metal, and no doubt had greatly the advantage of us in 
speed. It was late in September when we left the Cape 
of Good Hope, I think about the 25th of the month. We 
had a great deal of trouble with our men here about their 
"liberty days," and had to leave some dozen or more 
behind us; but having the offer of some of his "boarders" 
by a landlord, who was quite tired of them, feeling that 
he could not well spare so many men, Captain Semmes 
began to consider how he could make good his losses by 
accepting the landlord's offer of taking the rollicking gen- 
tlemen on a pleasure trip, as passengers on board our 
steamer, awaiting a chance of their offers of enlistment. 
We could not, of course, enlist men in Her British Majes- 
ty's dominions ! We left the Cape in a gale of wind, but 
then the Cape that divides the Eastern and Western world 
is acknowledged by mariners to be a very "stormy point." 

It took but a few hours' run to find ourselves in the 
Indian Ocean. Our "gentlemen boarders," when recov- 
ered from their drunken debauch and made decent and 
respectable by a deal of scrubbing and a call upon the 
paymasters' stores for clothing, made a "virtue of neces- 



232 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

sity'' and gave their valual)le services in retnrn for our 
hospitality and payment of their bills at the Cape, and 
some of them proved very good seamen. In our voyage 
to the East (as contradictory as the terms may seem) we 
struck the "brave West winds" again, had continual rain- 
squalls and thick weather, and were often in danger; but 
we did not meet the dreadful icebergs which are some- 
times in these regions the terror of the sea. Nothing can 
be more dangerous than to meet these drifts of ice, unless 
it be the avalanches that come down the Alps, burying 
everything in their way. In the year 1856 I was asso- 
ciated with Lieutenant de Haven on the coast survey of 
Texas. He was an ofTficer who had been in the famous 
search for Sir John Franklin and party in Arctic waters. 
His thrilling narratives of danger and distress, his snow 
or ice-blind eyes and frost-bitten hands and feet bearing 
witness to the truth of his assertions, made on me a strong 
impression in its sickening detail of suffering! While I 
had volunteered in every service that had even a dim fore- 
shadowing of a fight, the blood of my H.ighland ancestry 
giving me, I freely acknowledge, a love for the same, I 
frankly say I would never have volunteered as an Arctic 
explorer, or chosen a death by freezing ! But this is a 
digression. 

We missed the icebergs, but rode ahead of two or three 
threatening cyclones. The constant entries in my log- 
book (which I am sorry to say found its grave in the 
Alabama), I well remember, had such entries as these: 
"rough weather," "quantities of rainfall," "furious, turbu- 
lent winds," "meeting a ship would be a bad thing for us 
now; such blinding rains we would run into each other," 
etc. It is astonishing, the loneliness of the ocean as to 
sails. In a run of seven or eight hundred miles, as I men- 
tioned before, we only sighted one sail; so in our present 
run of more than four thousand miles we have met but 
three or four ships. About the middle of October we 
passed the little islets of St. Peter and St. Paul, but did 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

not stop, as the weather was very bad. We were try. 
to make the Straits of Sunda, the passage into the China 
Seas. Late in October we boarded a Dutch ship from 
Batavia. They informed us that the United States Ship 
Wyoming had boarded them a httle way out of Batavia. 
As we drew near the Straits of Sunda we fell in with sev- 
eral ships and chased and boarded three English and one 
Dutch ship. A day or two later, while we were giving 
chase to two English ships, a third ship hove in sight. 
It was too American to be allowed to elude us. We fired 
across her bow, and the flag of the United States went up, 
our first prize in East India waters. She was the Amanda, 
from Boston; cargo, sugar and hemp. The papers were 
not satisfactory, so we burned her, after taking off neces- 
sary articles for our ship. We soon after came to anchor 
off the north side of the Strait, a mile or two from 
Sumatra, where we hoped to procure the fresh food 
needed for the good health of our crew, for we had been 
a long time at sea. 



Chapter XV 

Having been warned of her near vicinity to us, we tried 
to keep "our weather eye" open for the U. S. Steamer 
PVyomiiig. We took the narrow and most unfrequented 
channel to the Strait, passing Stroom Rock and the small 
garrison town of Anjar. Our next prize in these waters 
was a beautiful new ship, Winged Racer. She was a New 
Yorker, of graceful, symmetrical mold, known in the ship- 
ping world as a "clipper." She was returning from 
Manila with a cargo for New York of cofTee, Manila 
tobacco, sugar, jute, etc. We found just what we wanted, 
and made havoc in the coffee, sugar and tobacco. We 
thought the Winged Racer too handsome a ship to burn, 
but what could we do? Our tenders were not a success; 
our only sale, the Sea-Bride, was a failure. We could run 
nothing into our own ports, and to fire our prizes seemed 
the only thing to do. We made the master of the 
Winged Racer a present of his boats and all he could stow 
in them, and he took our prisoners of the Amanda and 
proceeded to Batavia, the little fleet of boats looking very 
pretty as they pulled away. By the lighted bonfire of the 
Winged Racer we steamd out of sight of Java and Sumatra, 
made a little island called Lone Watcher, here meaning 
to wait till daylight for further action. Scarcely was the 
propeller hoisted when "sail ho !" rang out, and we made 
sail in chase. If the breeze had freshened at all we would 
have lost her, but fortune favored us and the failure of 
the wind acted greatly in our favor. It made the capture 
more possible each moment, and finally complete. The 
speed of the Alabama made her shorten sail and heave to. 
The ship proved to be the Contest, from Yokohama for 
New York, a fine clipper ship; cargo, Japanese goods. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 235 

curios, etc. Among other things some elegant hand- 
carved ebony armchairs that it seemed a shame to burn, 
they were so beautiful. We made the night brilliant with 
her destructive conflagration. We sighted and boarded 
a great many vessels in these waters, but American com- 
merce had dwindled into very small dimensions ! The 
sails were mostly Dutch and English, but Dutch pre- 
dominated. 

Of all the waters that cover the face of the earth none 
are so beset with dangers as the China Seas. The survey- 
ing expeditions that have been going out to these waters 
since the time of Commodore Perry's great expedition 
have seemed to make little headway, and with the best of 
modern charts to light the ocean a ship stands in danger 
during the changing of the monsoons, or drifting with the 
terrible under-currents upon coral reefs so abundant on 
every hand, and shoals and breakers. Winds, weather 
and the very elements conspiring against us, we now con- 
sidered it best to make some point to do our necessary 
repairing. We were some distance from Singapore, so 
made for the small Island of Condore (claimed by the 
French), a very pretty, fertile spot. We had availed our- 
selves of no rest since leaving the Cape, and not having 
much fear that the Wyoming would find us in this far-away 
harbor, we anchored and gave ourselves up to enjoyment 
and relaxation. Here game and fish were abundant, 
bathing a luxury, and life delightful. Insects, birds, rep- 
tiles and the celebrated vampire bat were all here, a deer 
of small size, and even a small species of bison. Apes, 
too, abounded, sufficiently fearless and intelligent-enough 
looking to tempt the followers of Darwin into credulity — 
some looking old and venerable enough to have been 
patriarchs. I think it was on this island that a party of 
our men captured a lizard between three and four feet in 
length. The serpents, we were glad to hear, kept to the 
jungles. I doubt if they could have been any more dan- 
gerous than the rattlesnakes that inhabit the lagoons and 



386 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

sun themselves on the savannas of our own Sea Islands 
on the Southern coast. But one never grows accustomed 
to rattlesnakes, or snakes of any kind, and while the 
mother of mankind in fearless innocence was beguiled 
into converse with the Tempter "in the form of a serpent," 
her descendants I have usually found ready to give a wide 
berth, with a shudder of horror, to all serpent kind. 

The young governor of the Island of Condore was a 
Frenchman about five-and-twenty years of age. He paid 
us every attention, and enjoyed our visit as heartily as we 
did. We spent two weeks or more there, and then turned 
our heads in the direction of Singapore. We crossed the 
Gulf of Siam, and on the 19th of December anchored under 
Palo Aor, a little island whose forests are cocoanut trees 
and the inhabitants Malays. These people were a merry, 
careless set, who enjoyed life to its fullest extent, lived on 
fish and fruits, were too near the equator to care for cloth- 
ing, and gave no thought to the morrow. Simple chil- 
dren of Nature, knowing nothing of civilization, living 
their quiet, happy island lives, with no knowledge or 
thought of the bustling unrest of the great world outside 
the limit of their horizon. The city of Singapore, our 
next port of landing, is situated on an island of the same 
name in the Malay Peninsula, and is the seat of commerce 
in that section of the globe. It has 100,000 inhabitants, 
and a more motley, mingled multitude of the nations of 
the earth could hardly be found anywhere. Persians, 
Hindoos, Javanese, Chinese, Japanese, Malays, Sumatrans, 
Tartars, Siamese, Bornese, all mingled in the crowded 
streets, while the shipping — European and American — 
made the picture complete. We found here upwards of 
twenty American vessels laid up. The destruction of the 
Ship Amanda ofif the Strait of Sunda had decided the 
American East Indiamen to get out of harm's way, or at 
least to "lay up" until our departure from the China Seas. 

We were treated with great consideration and hospi- 
tality by the people at Singapore. They were almost as 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 237 

glad to see ns and fete us as the kind people at the Cape 
of Good Hope had been. The governor of the colony 
at Singapore was a British colonel. We sent an officer to 
call upon him and report our arrival and our needs. An 
English merchant came on board and offered to supply us 
with everything in his line. Shortly after he urged Cap- 
tain Semmes to make him a visit (which he did) of a day 
or two at his semi-English Oriental home. It is aston- 
ishing how rich these Englishmen grow in the East, but 
they never lose their English habits and tastes, no matter 
where they locate. We had the usual trouble with our 
rollicking tars, and half a dozen were left behind at Singa- 
pore; but their places were suppHed by fellows eager to 
take a trip with us till such time as they could safely enlist 
without the consent of Queen Victoria, or with no con- 
demnation of her Government for our infringement of 
neutrality. 

The morning we left Singapore, when our little ship 
was sailing through the Strait of Malacca, "sail ho !" was 
cried from the mast, and an American-looking ship being 
hove to showed us the English colors. Master's Mate 
Fulham was sent on board to examine papers. The mas- 
ter was requested to come on board the Alabama, but 
refused point blank to do so. Mr. Fulham (a young Eng- 
lishman himself) was very suspicious of the craft. When 
he returned and reported facts, Captain Semmes, for the 
first time in the cruise, resolved that he would assume the 
role of boarding officer under the circumstances, and 
had rather an amusing experience. He soon satisfied 
himself that the ship was American, if the cargo was Eng- 
lish, or purported to be. When the master of her saw the 
gleam of decision fatal to his hope of escape in Captain 
Semmes's eagle eye, he began to remonstrate, and said 
to him, "You hadn't ought to burn this ship," for such 
and such reasons. His phraseology was quite sufficient, 
and the doom of the ship was sealed. She was freshly 
painted the Marfaban, but a fortnight previous she had 



238 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

been the Texan Star. The master made frank acknowl- 
edgment of his change of plan; said "all things were fair 
in war," and rather boasted of the shams and ruses he had 
used (so unsuccessfully) to save the ship. We ran into 
the little town of Malacca to land our prisoners, or get 
permission to do so. It was early morning — the morning 
of Christmas Day. The little town just waking from its 
sleep, the friendly lighthouse throwing its light on our 
deck, all reminded us of distant towns and homes and 
lights so far away ! 

In a little while boats came off to us filled with officers 
and citizens and a few ladies, all urging us to spend the 
Christmas Day with them. The captain excused himself, 
saying "there is no holiday in time of war," and in two or 
three hours we were on our way, the only outward observ- 
ance of the day being that the crew "spliced the main- 
brace" in honor of festivities consequent upon the season. 
The following day the lookout called out "sail ho!" twice 
very hurriedly from the masthead, and our flag seemed to 
strike two Yankee skippers dumb, as they were not polite 
enough to show their bunting in return. They were both 
large ships, of iioo or 1200 tons burden, one named the 
Highlander, from Boston, the other the Sonora, also from 
the land of the Puritan. We gave them their boats, and 
as they were captured at the western entrance to the 
Strait of Malacca they found it easy sailing to Singapore. 
One of the captains when he reached our deck told Cap- 
tain Semmes, with a long-drawn sigh of relief, that "he 
had been trying to keep out of his way for nearly three 
years, but now the suspense was over, and he was relieved 
that there was no more running to be done." Captain 
Semmes replied that he "was very glad the long search 
was over." 

The last day of the year we cleared the Sumatra coast 
and crossed to the Bay of Bengal, toward the Island of 
Ceylon. We doubled this island and found ourselves on 
the coast of Malabar. The middle of January we captured 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 239 

the Emma Jane, of Maine. We took the provisions we 
required from her, transferred the crew and burned the 
ship. 

Coasting eastward a short distance, we made the Httle 
Portuguese town of Anjenga and came to anchor. There 
were no EngHsh in this town, but a mixture of Portuguese 
and Hindoo, the presiding ofificial a Portuguese. We 
arranged to land our prisoners, and the officer sent his 
son to call upon us. Captain Semmes returned this call 
of ceremony through one of his lieutenants. This officer 
was so long in returning that Captain Semmes sent me 
with an armed boat's crew to rescue him in case of danger. 
I found it was only a feast or fete day, and all officials were 
devoutly attending church, which delayed our officer's 
call of civility. Both Spaniards and Portuguese are great 
nations for keeping saints' days and religious festivals of 
all kinds. They never allow worldly business or secular 
employments to interfere with their religious calendar of 
saints' days. They seem as happy and exultant in their 
priest-ridden superstitions and idolatry as the Puritans, 
who turned their backs on home and country and sought 
new lands with the privilege of "freedom to worship God" 
in their own way. 

The conquest of India by Great Britain is surely one of 
the "special Providences" in which we are taught to be- 
lieve, and the "Empress of India" has a right to think with 
pride of her vast cotton fields that help so largely to clothe 
the world ; but dearer far must be to her the knowledge of 
the grand religious influences brought to bear upon her 
heathen subjects. Schools have sprung up everywhere, 
the printing press, the railroad, all modern appliances of 
utility and civilization have usurped the place formerly 
held by despotism. Now a beneficent Government is dis- 
playing the happy rule and reign of justice and humanity ! 

Having coaled ship at Singapore we left. Passing 
through the chain of islands adjacent to the Malabar coast, 
we stretched across the Arabian Sea in the direction of 



240 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

the eastern coast of Africa. The weather was perfectly 
cleHghtfnl. For a fortnight or three weeks we had serene 
skies and gentle breezes, with scarcely even a change of 
sail; and fleecy, gauze clouds, such as make children dream 
such "fairy dreams" as Hans Christian Andersen has given 
in his very charming books to delight the world. The 
beautiful dolphin peopled the Arabian Sea, passing near 
the ship in great schools, and some flying fish were caught 
by the sailors. On the last day of January we crossed the 
equator, and the latter part of the first week in February 
we made the Cormora Islands, and getting up steam ran 
in and anchored at Johanna. This is quite a stopping 
place for ships passing to and from the East Indies by 
way of the Mozambique Channel. Johanna at the time 
of which I write was ruled by an Arab, who called himself 
a Sultan. The Sultan sent his commanding officer to call 
upon us, and we made contracts with him for supplies of 
fresh meats, etc. 

We spent a quiet week among the Johanese, and en- 
joyed it, they being very friendly. Having taken in fresh 
vegetables, fruits, and plenty of beef, we got under way 
and turned our faces to the southward. The lovely 
weather we had in the Arabian Sea did not follow us into 
the Mozambique Channel, and as we drew near the south 
of Madagascar we encountered some of the most terrific 
rain squalls and thunder storms I have ever seen. The 
lightning played about us with wild fury, as though open- 
ing the very heavens above us, and the thunder crashed 
and rolled with deafening volume till it seemed as if the 
heavens and earth, the mountains and the deep, were 
being broken into eternal dissolution ! It was a relief to 
leave the channel and pursue our way, pointing to the 
Cape of Good Hope. The "stormy Cape," as it is known 
to mariners, might equal, but could never surpass, the 
sublime glory of the storms of such frequent occurrence 
in the waters of the Mozambique Channel. Early in 
March we took soundings on the dangerous Agulhas 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 241 

Banks, where the ground swell and the angry currents 
seem to meet each other, and the battling billows fight 
themselves into fury, like contending armies. "Men 
who go to sea in ships" can realize in the wonderful power 
of the elements the hand of Him who guides and rules 
the storm, and yet whose watchful, tender love "heeds 
even the sparrow's fall." 

After an absence of six months we found ourselves 
anchored at our old cruising ground ofif the Cape of Good 
Hope. We met as warm a welcome as we had received 
on former visits. Captain Semmes was very indignant 
to find our cruiser, the Tuscaloosa, had been seized under 
the pretext that she was an uncondemned prize and not 
a ship of war, and that having been brought into British 
waters regardless of British neutraHty, she should be 
seized and returned to her original owners. It did not 
consume much time (with his legal knowledge and ability) 
for Captain Semmes to set matters right, and after some 
very spirited correspondence with the authorities the Tus- 
caloosa was ordered released and turned over to Captain 
Semmes, or his lieutenant in charge of her. But for this 
useless detention our little cruiser would have done efB- 
cient work. Low was an able young ofScer, who had 
George Sinclair as his first lieutenant and Adolphe Mar- 
melstein (who had been a quartermaster on the Alabama) 
as second officer, and was fully equal to his duty — loyal 
and true. By the time, however, that the orders reached 
the Cape we had left that part of the world, and possession 
of the Tuscaloosa was never resumed. Doubtless she was 
reclaimed by her owners, or the Federal Government. 

We spent several days at the Cape and there met the 
equinoctial storm March 20th. We had a great influx of 
visitors, to whom we tried to play the part of agreeable 
host, though we were very busy all the while coaling and 
provisioning ship. We received a bountiful supply of 
newspapers at the Cape, and they were very welcome, for 
we had been cut ofif from our part of the world for many 

16 



242 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

long months. All news was depressing and discouraging. 
It was very apparent that our cause was daily growing 
weaker. We could but see that after the Battle of Gettys- 
burg and the surrender of Vicksburg defeat seemed to 
stare our struggling people in the face, and with the fail- 
ing finances and shut-in ports ruin seemed inevitable! 

By the middle of April we had reached the track of 
homeward bound American ships from the Pacific. On 
the 22d of April we sighted and gave chase to a ship and 
chased her all night by the light of the moon, on a smooth 
sea. At daylight a gun brought her to. She was the 
Rockingham, her cargo guano, from the Chincha Islands, 
bound for Cork. We made a target of her and then 
burned her. Two or three days later we took the Tycoon, 
from New York for San Francisco, with a valuable cargo, 
much of it clothing. We took what we needed, got 
plenty of newspapers, dates a month back, and burned 
her. On the ist of May we recrossed the equator. We 
entered the Northern Hemisphere with the usual amount 
of calms and storms. The late papers made us sick at 
heart. There was gloom and disaster on every hand, and 
our poor Southland in her single-handed fight against the 
world was giving out ! We passed through the Azores, 
bringing vividly to mind the opening of our career, when 
the beautiful 2go, fresh from her builders' hands, was 
christened and received her armament, and full of life and 
spirit was ready for the fray ! Now worn and jaded ofifi- 
cers, men and ship — what a contrast ! We had done val- 
iant work and had nothing to regret in our brief and bril- 
liant career. 

I found from his talks with me that Captain Semnies 
had fully made up his mind to seek rest and refitment of 
ship in some friendly port where we could go into dock 
and allow the little ship that had been our home for 
twenty-two months to be made anew. The mental strain 
and excitement through which we had lived was really 
more wearing upon natural energy and powers of mind 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 2'». 

and body than labor could have been. We stretched 
over from the Western Islands to the coasts of Spain and 
Portugal, thence to the historic British Channel; on the 
loth of June made Cape La Hague, on the French coast, 
and a few hours later were boarded by a French pilot, and 
at noon were anchored in the port of Cherbourg. A few 
miles from these shores, later in the month, the vaHant 
Alabama was destined to sink in mortal combat, to rise 
no more! 



Chapter XVI 

Soon after our arrival at Cherbourg an officer was sent 
on shore to ask permission of the port admiral to land our 
prisoners of the two captured ships. This being obtained 
without trouble or delay, Captain Semmes went on shore 
to see to the docking of the ship for repairs. Cherbourg 
being a naval station and the dock belonging to the gov- 
ernment, permission had to be obtained of the emperor 
before we could do anything. The port admiral told us 
"we had better have gone into Havre, as the government 
might not give permission for repairs to a belligerent 
ship." The emperor was absent from Paris at some 
watering place on the coast, and would not return for 
some days. Here was an impediment to our plans which 
gave us time for thought, and the result of such thought 
was the unfortunate combat between the Alabama and the 
Kearsarge. The latter ship was lying at Flushing when 
we entered Cherbourg. Two or three days after our ar- 
rival she steamed into the harbor, sent a boat on shore to 
communicate, steamed outside and stationed ofif the 
breakwater. While Captain Semmes had not singled her 
out as an antagonist, and would never have done so had 
he known her to be chain-clad (an armored ship), he had 
about this time made up his mind that he would cease 
fleeing before the foe, and meet an equal in battle when 
the opportunity presented itself. Our cause was weaken- 
ing daily, and our ship so disabled it really seemed to us 
our work was almost done! We might end her career 
gloriously by being victorious in battle, and defeat against 
an equal foe we would never have allowed ourselves to 
anticipate. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 245 

As soon as the Kearsarge came into the harbor Captain 
Semmes sent for me to come to his cabin, and abruptly 
said to me : "Kell, I am going out to fight the Kearsarge. 
What do you think of it?" We then quietly talked it -all 
over. We discussed the batteries, especially the Kear- 
sarge' s advantage in ii-inch guns. I reminded him of 
our defective powder, how our long cruise had deterio- 
rated everything, as proven in our target-practice off the 
coast of Brazil on the Ship Rockingham, when certainly 
every third shot was a failure even to explode. I saw his 
mind was fully made up, so I simply stated these facts for 
myself. I had always felt ready for a fight, and I also 
knew that the brave young officers of the ship would not 
object, and the men would be not only willing, but 
anxious, to meet the enemy ! To all outward seeming the 
disparity was not great between the two ships, barring the 
unknov\^n (because concealed) chain armor. The Kearsarge 
communicated with the authorities to request that our 
prisoners be turned over to them. Captain Semmes made 
an objection to her increasing her crew. He addressed 
our agent, Mr. Bonfils, a communication requesting him 
to inform Captain Winslow, through the United States 
Consul, that "if he would wait till the Alabama could coal 
ship he would give him battle." We began to coal and 
at the same time to make preparation for battle. We 
overhauled the magazine and shell rooms, gun equip- 
ments, etc. 

The Kearsarge was really in the fullest sense of the word 
a man-of-war, stanch and well built; the Alabama was 
made for flight and speed and was much more lightly con- 
structed than her chosen antagonist. The Alabama had 
one more gun, but the Kearsarge carried more metal at a 
broadside. The seven guns of the Kearsarge were two 
1 1 -inch Dahlgrens, four 32-pounders, and one rifled 28- 
pounder. The Alabama's eight guns were six 32-pound- 
ers, one 8-inch and one rifled loo-pounder. The crew of 
the Alabama all told was 149 men, while that of the Kear- 



246 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

sargc was 162 men. By Saturday night, June i8th, our 
preparations were completed. Captain Senimes notified 
the admiral of the port that he would be ready to go out 
and meet the Kcarsargc the following morning. Early 
Sunday morning the admiral sent an officer to say to us 
that "the ironclad Frigate Couronne would accompany us 
to protect the neutrality of French waters." 

Many offered to join us. William C. Whittle, Jr., Grim- 
ball, and others; also George Sinclair and Adolphe Mar- 
melstein, officers of the Tuscaloosa, and others who were 
in Paris came down to join us, but the French authorities 
objected, and they were not allowed to do so. Between 
9 and 10 o'clock, June 19th, everything being in readiness, 
we got under way and proceeded to sea. We took the 
western entrance of the harbor. The Couronne accom- 
panied us, also some French pilot-boats and an English 
steam yacht, the Deerhoimd, owned by a rich Englishman 
(as we afterward learned), who, with his wife and chil- 
dren, was enjoying life and leisure in his pleasure yacht. 
The walls and fortifications of the harbor, the heights 
above the town, the buildings, everything that looked 
seaward, was crowded with people. About seven miles 
from the land the Kcarsarge was quietly awaiting our 
arrival. 

Officers in uniforms, men at their best, Captain Semmes 
ordered them sent aft, and mounting a gun-carriage made 
them a brief address: "Officers and seamen of the Ala- 
bama: You have at length another opportunity to meet 
the enemy, the first that has presented to you since you 
sank the Hatteras. In the meantime you have been all 
over the world, and it is not too much to say that you 
have destroyed and driven for protection under neutral 
flags one-half of the enemy's commerce, which at the be- 
ginning of the war covered every sea. This is an achieve- 
ment of which you may well be proud, and a grateful 
country will not be unmindful of it. The name of your 
ship has become a household word wherever civilization 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 247 

extends. Shall that name be tarnished by defeat? [An 
outburst of Never! Never!] The thing is impossible. 
Remember that you are in the English Channel, the 
theatre of so much of the naval glory of our race. The 
eyes of all Europe are at this moment upon you! The 
flag that floats over you is that of a young Republic that 
bids defiance to her enemies, whenever and wherever 
found ! Show the world that you know how to uphold it. 
Go to your quarters !" 

We now prepared our guns to engage the enemy on our 
starboard side. When within a mile and a-quarter he 
wheeled, presenting his starboard battery to us. We 
opened on him with solid shot, to which he soon replied, 
and the action became active. To keep our respective 
broadsides bearing we were obliged to fight in a circle 
around a common center, preserving a distance of three 
quarters of a mile. When within distance of shell range 
we opened on him with shell. The spanker gaff was shot 
away and our ensign came down. We replaced it imme- 
diately at the mizzen masthead. The firing now became 
very hot and heavy. Captain Semmes, who was watch- 
ing the battle from the horse block, called out to me, "Mr. 
Kell, our shell strike the enemy's side, doing little damage, 
and fall olT in the water; try solid shot." From this time 
we alternated shot and shell. The battle lasted an hour 
and ten minutes. Captain Semmes said to me at this 
time (seeing the great apertures made in the side of the 
ship from their ii-inch shell, and the water rushing in 
rapidly), "Mr. Kell, as soon as our head points to the 
French coast in our circuit of action, shift your guns to 
port and make all sail for the coast." This evolution was 
beautifully performed; righting the helm, hauhng aft the 
fore-trysail sheet, and pivoting to port, the action con- 
tinuing all the time without cessation, — but it was useless, 
nothing could avail us. Before doing this, and pivoting 
the gun, it became necessary to clear the deck of parts 
of the dead bodies that had been torn to pieces by the 



248 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

1 1 -inch shells of the enemy. The captain of our 8-inch 
gun and most of the gun's crew were killed. It became 
necessary to take the crew from young Anderson's gun 
to make up the vacancies, which I did, and placed him 
in command. Though a mere youth, he managed it like 
an old veteran. Going to the hatchway, I called out to 
Brooks (one of our efficient engineers) to give the ship 
more steam, or we would be whipped. He repHed she 
"had every inch of steam that was safe to carry without 
being blown up!" Young Matt O'Brien, assistant engi- 
neer, called out, "Let her have the steam; we had better 
blow her to hell than to let the Yankees whip us !" The 
chief engineer now came on deck and reported "the fur- 
nace fires put out," whereupon Captain Semmes ordered 
me to go below and "see how long the ship could float." 
I did so, and returning said, "Perhaps ten minutes." 
"Then, sir," said Captain Semmes, "cease firing, shorten 
sail, and haul down the colors. It will never do in this 
nineteenth century for us to go down and the decks cov- 
ered with our gallant wounded." This order was promptly 
executed, after which the Kearsarge deliberately fired into 
us five shots ! In Captain Winslow's report to the Secre- 
tary of the Navy he admits this, saying, "Uncertain 
whether Captain Semmes was not making some ruse, the 
Kearsarge was stopped." 

Was this a time, — when disaster, defeat and death 
looked us in the face, — for a ship to use a ruse, a Yankee 
trick? I ordered the men to "stand to their quarters," 
and they did it heroically; not even flinching, they stood 
every man to his post. As soon as we got the first of 
these shot I told the quartermaster to show the white flag 
from the stern. It was done. Captain Semmes said to 
me, "Dispatch an officer to the Kearsarge and ask that 
they send boats to save our wounded — ours are disabled." 
Our little dingey was not injured, so I sent Master's Mate 
Fulham with the request. No boats coming, I had one 
of our quarter boats (the least damaged one) lowered and 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 249 

had the wounded put in her. Dr. Gait came on deck at 
this time, and was put in charge of her, with orders to 
take the wounded to the Kearsarge. They shoved off in 
time to save the wounded. When I went below to inspect 
the sight was appalling! Assistant Surgeon Llewellyn 
was at his post, but the table and the patient on it had 
been swept away from him by an ii-inch shell, which 
made an aperture that was fast filling with water. This 
was the last time I saw Dr. Llewellyn in life. As I passed 
the deck to go down below a stalwart seaman with death's 
signet on his brow called to me. For an instant I stood 
beside him. He caught my hand and kissed it with such 
reverence and loyalty, — the look, the act, it lingers in my 
memory still ! I reached the deck and gave the order for 
"every man to save himself, to jump overboard with a 
spar, an oar, or a grating, and get out of the vortex of 
the sinking ship." 

As soon as all were overboard but Captain Senimes and 
I, his steward, Bartelli, and two of the men — the sailmaker, 
Alcott, and Michael Mars — we began to strip off all super- 
fluous clothing for our battle with the waves for our lives. 
Poor, faithful-hearted Bartelli, we did not know he could 
not swim, or he might have been sent to shore — he was 
drowned. The men disrobed us, I to my shirt and 
drawers, but Captain Semmes kept on his heavy pants 
and vest. We together gave our swords to the briny deep 
and the ship we loved so well! The sad farewell look at 
the ship would have wrung the stoutest heart ! The dead 
were lying on her decks, the surging, roaring waters ris- 
ing through the death-wound in her side. The ship 
agonizing like a living thing and going down in her brave 
beauty, settling lower and lower, she sank fathoms deep — 
lost to all save love, and fame, and memory ! 

After undressing with the assistance of our men we 
plunged into the sea. It was a mass of living heads, 
striving, struggling, battling for life. On the wild 



250 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

waste of waters there came no boats, at first, from the 
Kearsargc to our rescue. Had victory struck them dumb, 
or helpless — or had it frozen the milk of human kindness 
in their veins? The water was like ice, and after the ex- 
citement of battle it seemed doubly cold. I saw a float 
of empty shell boxts near me, and called out to one of 
the men (an expert swimmer) to examine the float. He 
said: "It is the doctor, sir, and he is dead." Poor Llewel- 
lyn! Almost within sight of home, the air blowing 
across the channel from it into the dead face that had given 
up the struggle for life and liberty. I felt my strength 
giving out, but strange to say I never thought of giving 
up, though the white caps were breaking wildly over my 
head and the sea foam from the billows blinding my eyes. 
Midshipman Maffitt swam to my side and said, "Mr. Kell, 
you are so exhausted, take this life-preserver" (endeav- 
oring to disengage it). I refused, seeing in his own palHd 
young face that heroism had risen superior to self or bodily 
suffering! But "what can a man do more than give his 
life for his friend?" The next thing that I remember, a 
voice called out, "Here's our first lieutenant," and I was 
pulled into a boat, in the stern sheets of which lay Captain 
Semmes as if dead. He had received a slight wound in 
the hand, Vk^hich with the struggle in the water had ex- 
hausted his strength, long worn by sleeplessness, anxiety 
and fatigue. There were several of our crew in the boat. 
In a few moments we were alongside a steam yacht, which 
received us on her deck, and we learned it was the Deer- 
hound, owned by an English gentleman, Mr. John Lan- 
caster, who used it for the pleasure of himself and family, 
who were with him at this time, his sons having preferred 
going out with him to witness the fight to going to church 
with their mother, as he afterwards told us. 

In looking about us I saw two French pilot boats res- 
cuing the crew, and finally two boats from the Kearsarge. 
I was much surprised to find Mr. Fulham on the Deer- 
hound, as I had dispatched him in the little dingey to ask the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 251 

Kearsarge for boats to save our wounded. Mr. Fulham 
told me that "our shot had torn the casing from the chain 
armor of the Kearsarge, indenting the chain in many 
places." This now explained Captain Semmes' observa- 
tion to me during the battle — ''our shell strike the enemy's 
side and fall into the water." Had we been in possession 
of this knowledge the unequal battle between the Alabama 
and the Kearsarge would never have been fought, and the 
gallant little Alabama have been lost by an error. She 
fought valiantly as long as there was a plank to stand upon. 
History has failed to explain, unless there were secret 
orders forbidding it, why the Kearsarge did not steam 
into the midst of the fallen foe and generously save life! 
The Kearsarge fought the battle beautifully, but she tar- 
nished her glory when she fired on a fallen foe and made 
no immediate effort to save brave living men from watery 
graves ! Both heroic commanders are now gone — before 
the great tribunal where "the deeds done in the body" are 
to be accounted for but history is history and truth is 
truth ! 

Mr. Lancaster came to Captain Semmes and said: "I 
think every man is saved, where shall I land you?" He 
replied, 'T am under EngHsh colors; the sooner you land 
me on English soil the better." The little yacht, under 
a press of steam, moved away for Southampton. Our loss 
v/as nine killed, twenty-one wounded and ten drowned. 
That afternoon, the 19th of June, we were landed in 
Southampton and received with every demonstration of 
kindness and sympathy. 



Chapter XVII 

I FIND among my old letters one written at Cherbourg 
on the 1 6th of June, that is not only a contribution to his- 
tory, but an honest statement of the sentiment of the 
times. 

C. S. Str. Alabama, Cherbourg, France, 

June i6th, 1864. 
We are on the eve of going out to engage the enemy's Gunboat 
Kcarsage, now lying off this harbor. We arrived here on the nth inst., 
seventy-eight days from Cape Town. On the passage we burned two 
of the enemy's merchant vessels — making fifty-three that we have de- 
stroyed, released one, ransomed nine, sold one, and commissioned one, 
making our total captures sixty-five vessels, including the Hatteras. 
We are now much in want of repairs, and came here for that purpose, 
the captain immediately upon our arrival applying to have the work 
done. From the delay of official correspondence we have been put off 
from day to day, when the Kearsarge, happening to be at Ostend and 
hearing of our arrival here to undergo extensive repairs, thought she 
could insult us with impunity, and came steaming into the harbor a 
couple of days ago, and has since been laying off, communicating twice 
with the shore by her boats. Captain Semmes at once determined to 
give her battle, and applied for permission to purchase coals. This at 
first was refused, but afterwards granted, and we are now taking them 
in, and may go out to-morrow or the day following. We expect to 
have a hard fight, for she is fully our match, having to our knowledge 
two ii-inch guns, four 32-pounders, and i 30-pound rifle gun, with a 
crew of 160 men. She is just out of dock and in thorough order, while 
we are sadly wanting in repairs, with a crew of 120 men only — but they 
are ready for the fray, and, God willing, we hope to come out victorious ! 

In the year 1886 I was solicited by the Century Magazine 
to contribute to their pages an article on the fight, after- 
wards embodied in "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War." 
I did so. Some years afterward I received some letters 
that had been in the possession of a relative that had re- 
cently died. I copy a letter herewith, written a few hours 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 253 

after the sinking of the Alabama, which though brief is 
very graphic. 

Kelwat's Hotel, Southampton, Eng., 

June 20th, 1864. 

My Dear H : I have just received your telegram of J. H. A. & 

Co. Captain Semmes and Mr. Smith are here and much obliged, but 
need no funds. We shall have our money and accounts from Cher- 
bourg in a day or two, which we landed before coming out. We left 
Cherbourg at half-past nine yesterday morning expressly to engage the 
Kearsargc, she laying off the port. We began the action a few minutes 
before 11 o'clock, about nine miles distant from the land, and had 
sharp work of it for an hour. We commenced the action about one 
mile distant, knowing the enemy had the advantage of us in his ii-inch 
guns, although we had the advantage of range in our loo-pound rifle 
(Blakely) and 8-inch solid shot. We at once discovered that the enemy 
had the speed of us and chose his own position, which was from three 
to five hundred yards. His ii-inch shell had terrific effect upon us, 
which, striking about the water-line, caused us to fill very rapidly. The 
action lasted about one hour and ten minutes, during which time we 
had made seven complete circles. When I found the water gaining so 
rapidly upon us I reported to Captain Semmes that we could not float 
much longer, and he ordered the course shaped for the land. We made 
what sail we had available to assist the engines, carrying on a running 
fight; but the water gained so rapidly as to put out the fires, when the 
engines stopped, and humanity demanded that we should haul down 
the colors and save the wounded. Fortunately, two of our boats were 
not too much injured, and we had time to lower them and get the 
wounded off for the Kearsarge, when the ship commenced to settle. 
Then the order was given for every man to take to an oar, or spar, and 
jump overboard, which was hurriedly done, and the ship went down 
about twenty minutes after the colors were hauled down. We were in 
the water about half an hour when a boat from the English Steam 
Yacht Deerliound, belonging to Mr. John Lancaster, picked us up, took 
us on board and kindly treated us — fifteen officers and about twenty- 
seven men — and steered away for this port. We left a French pilot 
boat and two boats from the Kearsarge picking up the remainder. We 
had nine men killed, twenty wounded, and one officer — Dr. Llewellyn — 
and several men drowned. We learn from the officers who took the 
sick and wounded alongside of the Kearsarge that her midship section 
was completely protected by chain bighted from her rail to the water's 
edge, which was broken and indented in many places by our shot, but 
did not penetrate her, so that we were in fact fighting an ironclad! 



264 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

They also report that she is damaged in her upper works and quarter, 
and was pumping and plugging up shot-holes when they were alongside, 
so that it is likely she will be obliged to make some harbor near at 
hand. If so, I trust our officers and men on board will be paroled. 
Please return the letters sent for my wife and mother from Cherbourg, 
as I shall endeavor to get off to the Confederacy as soon as possible. 
Let me hear from you. I shall not be able to see you probably for a 
week or so, as I have a number of our men to look after, besides set- 
ling up our accounts before leaving. 

Affectionately yours, 

Jno. McIntosh Kell. 

I do not mean in these simple annals of my life and work 
to turn back and try to recall the feelings and sentiments 
of those "times that tried men's souls." I believe I have 
said that I am "writing for posterity," that those of the 
younger generation may know, and all that come after 
them may know, the part it was my privilege to act in the 
war that left my country desolated and myself penniless, 
with broken health and broken spirit in middle life, and 
without a profession. I feel that the generation that is 
passing- away (my own contemporaries) are well versed 
in the history of that time thirty-odd years ago. That all 
who could read that grand book of Admiral Semmes's, 
"Service Afloat," which dealt so largely of law and science, 
and our deeds, that it seems presumptuous for any one 
else to take up his well-handled themes that left nothing 
unsaid. There may be some of the present generation, 
however, who have not read this book, and there may be 
friends of mine who will take an interest in my less able 
narrative, so for the pleasure of these friends and my family 
I have told the story of the cruises once again. 

The press of the world at that time teemed with the 
combat. The Yankee papers, of course, gloated over the 
victory, — but what had they gained? An ironclad had 
sunk a wooden ship, but except the shot that remained to 
them unexploded in their sternpost to tell "what might 
have been" but for defective fuses, etc., there was no tro- 
phy! There were many beautiful notices of the loss of 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 255 

the Alabama in the papers, a few of which I here insert, as 
papers are perishable things and often only kept on file in 
their own offices. 

[From the London Times, June 2ist, 1864.] 

Fathoms deep in Norman waters lies the good Ship Alabama, the 
swift sea rover, just so many tons of broken-up iron and wood, and 
wearing away in the huge depository of that genuine and original 
marine store-dealer. Father Neptune! 

Should any painter conceive a fantasy of the ocean akin to that of 
Raffet in "Napoleon's Midnight Review," the famous Confederate 
cruiser would be one of the first ships that his imagination would sum- 
mon from the depths of the sea, and amongst the spectral fleet of high- 
beaked Danish galleys, of antique Spanish caravels, of bluff and burly 
British three-deckers and saucy British frigates, there would be room 
for this quick and cunning craft that raced so swiftly and roamed the 
deep so long. The waves wash to and fro about her, as if in mockery 
of the dead mass that could once almost outstrip the hurricane, and the 
fish swim in and out of the port-holes and round the muzzles of the 
guns that will never again burn powder. For yet a day or so to come 
corpses of brave men killed in battle or miserably drowned will float 
to and fro on the summer waves — a strange and horrible sight, per- 
chance, to French fishers busy with their nets or English yachtmen 
taking their pleasure in the Channel. The skipper, a wounded man, 
is safe on English ground, but many of his strange crew will nevermore 
tread a deck or answer to the boatswain's call. The Alabama could 
have found no more fitting grave, for she had lived on the waters, their 
child and playmate. She hailed from no Southern harbor, she was 
warned off from many a neutral port, and went away to her wild work 
amid the loneliness of the watery waste. It was well, then, that she 
was not destined to be laid up in ordinary, or daubed with dock-yard 
drab at Charleston or Savannah, while idle gossips wandered over her 
and talked glibly about her deeds. Beaten in fair fight, she went down 
in the open sea, whilst her crew, leaping from the sinking ship, swam 
manfully for their lives. Her career was a strange one. She was an 
outlaw; men called her a "corsair," and spoke of "Semmes, the pirate 
captain" as though he had been some ruffianly Blackbeard sailing under 
the black flag with skull and cross-bones for his grisly ensign. To-day 
we do not care to quote Puffindorff, Grotius, or Wheaton; we do not 
concern ourselves with legal quibbles ; we decline to take a lawyer's 
view of her. She was a good ship, well handled and well fought, and 
to a nation of sailors that means a great deal. 



356 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Since Philip Brooke captured the Chesapeake there has been no 
more chivalric encounter between single ships than that of Sunday last 
oflf Cherbourg, not far from the old battleground of Cape La Hague, 
It was a deliberate challenge. The contest did not take either crew by 
surprise. Semmes might have stuck to Cherbourg Dock, or trusted to 
speed for his escape, but he resolved to fight it out. So on a bright 
June morning, whilst the French folks were quietly at church, he 
steamed gallantly to sea and attacked his ready antagonist. The Kcar- 
sarge had more men, carried heavier metal and was chain-plated under 
her outside planking. Of this latter fact Semmes is said to have been 
ignorant. At any rate, he knew that a hard day's work was before him 
and he lost no time in grappling with his work. The story reads like a 
page from James's "Naval Chronicle," but with some new features 
about it that remind us how much the conditions of maritime warfare 
have changed. For instance, we see that this was at first an artillery 
duel at long range, the two steamers wheeling round and round as 
falcons might, careless of the wind. Ere long they came to closer 
quarters, whilst an English yacht cruising in the offing watched the 
fight. Twice the Alabama was struck heavily ; the third shot carried 
away the blade of her fan, shattered a part of her rudder and disabled 
a gun. The water rushed into her engine-room and she filled rapidly. 
The Kcarsarge also suffered severely, but it was plain that the battle 
was over, and that the Alabama was about to sink. Not till the very 
muzzles were under water would the Southern captain discontinue the 
action ; even then he disdained to surrender, but lowering his boats and 
placing his wounded in them he waited till the moment before she sank, 
and then, bleeding as he was, jumped into the sea. His gallant and 
chivalric enemy sent boats to save the crew and claimed the assistance 
of the English yacht in the same charitable office. He enquired after 
Semmes's fate and was told that he was drowned, but Semmes mean- 
while, although sorely suffering, was safe in the Deerhound, which got 
up steam and bore away as swiftly as possible. From thirty to forty 
of his comrades were killed or wounded ; the rest are either in England 
or prisoners on board the Federal Ship. 

So ends the log of the Alabama — a vessel of which it may be said 
that nothing in her whole career became her like its close! Although 
a legitimate and recognized form of hostilities, the capture and destruc- 
tion of peaceful merchantmen is one barbarism of war which civilized 
society is beginning to deprecate. Yet for many reasons one can impute 
no moral guilt to Semmes. His enemy — the United States — specially 
and distinctly refused adhesion to the Paris Declaration against priva- 
teering; and his own country, "Secessia," is the weaker in the present 
contest. Possibly if he had been cruising with letters of marque under 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 257 

ordinary circumstances, with twenty ports upon a friendly seaboard 
eager to receive him, few would care about his fate. It was his peculiar 
fortune to keep the sea, almost alone, against a hostile navy, running the 
gauntlet of countless cruisers with no southern harbor of refuge under 
his lee, and carrying on the conflict without any of the usual forms of 
recruitment. And well did he fulfil his adventurous duties. The Ala- 
hania seemed ubiquitous. If suddenly on the Indian Ocean a red light 
was seen in the distance, and dim clouds of smoke rolled away before 
the wind, men knew that Semmes was at work, and was boarding and 
burning some Yankee trader to the water's edge. American captains 
homeward bound with a precious freight caught sight of the strange 
craft and rejoiced that they sailed under the Union Jack and not under 
the Stars and Stripes. The Federals tried hard to catch her, for indeed 
she and her sister ships threatened to paralyze their commerce, and 
even underwriters murmured when they heard of cargoes burned and 
vessels destroyed. She had many a narrow escape, had often to show 
a clean pair of heels and run for it, often to change her guise, to give 
her sides a fresh coat of paint and hoist some foreign flag. In all the 
sea subtlety and stratagem Semmes was as cool and crafty as even old 
Francis Drake himself, but also like Drake he could fight when fighting 
was required. Gradually men came to think that the Alabama bore a 
charmed life, that nothing could hurt her, that to all purposes she was 
like Vanderdecken's barque — a phantom ship coming when she listed, 
but never to be caught. No really mortal ship, however, can keep the 
sea forever, and the two-years' cruise began to tell upon the Alabama. 
She was compelled to bear up for some neutral port and sue for leave 
to repair. Cherbourg was the selected port, and then whilst her crew 
stretched their legs ashore up came the Kearsarge and waited obstinately. 
Semmes might perchance have slipped out and passed her at night, a 
game he has often tried successfully with other cruisers, but he may 
have been somewhat tired of what, after all, was hardly the pleasantest 
work for a gallant Southern gentleman, or, more probably, he learned 
that the watch on board the enemy was too good. For the last time, 
then, the Alabama got up steam and made sail. At a few minutes past 
eleven she was again in blue water, and by one o'clock, riddled with shot, 
she had sunk, never again to leave her spreading wake on the dancing 
waves. Beaten in fair but unequal combat by a gallant foe she has 
disappeared from the field of ocean to take her place in history; and 
destined to singular luck even at the very depth of calamity, the still 
formidable Semmes is spared capture and sentenced by fate to nothing 
worse than to be for a time the guest of England. 

While the Kearsarge was anchored off Tybee a few years 
ago, Mr. Stanhope Sams interviewed me for an account of 
17 



258 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

the fight. I willingly gave him the narrative, and now 
quote from his gifted and beautiful pen : 

While single combats have not been rare in naval wars there are but 
few instances of a pre-arranged duel at sea, and there is not another 
instance of such a duel as was fought off the coast of France more than 
twenty-eight years ago between the wooden Confederate Cruiser Ala- 
bama and the Federal armored Ship Kearsargc. When Captain Laurence 
on the blood-stained deck of his gallant ship gave the famous com- 
mand, "don't give up the ship," he had gone out to meet an equal foe 
under like conditions. But when Admiral Semmes and his brave 
Executive left Cherbourg harbor for the fatal duel in the Channel, they 
went out naked before a steel-girt antagonist ! What made the fight 
still more unequal was the fact that the Alabama did not suspect that 
her foe was sheathed in armor. The wooden cruiser fought the Kear- 
sargc as if she had been a wooden hull like herself. Had they known 
these things the departure from the French harbor would have been to 
them but a certain passage to martyrdom upon the wave they had so 
often glorified by their heroic deeds. They went to certain death as 
cheerfully as though they were sweeping onward to accustomed victory. 
[Then follows a full account of the fight already told.] Captain Kell 
remarked : "The Kearsarge was not quick to assist our struggling crew. 
Her boats did not come in time to save them. Had it not been for the 
help given by the Deerhound and French boats many would have sunk. 
I say this with no feeling now, but state the truth as it ought to appear 
in histoi-y. This cruelty sadly marred the gallantry of the fight made by 
our enemy." Captain Semmes took a stern view of the action of Cap- 
tain Winslow of the Kearsargc, he regarding it almost as a meeting 
"under the code," certainly one to be governed by the highest sense of 
honor and courage. His enemy, he thought, did not act with honor in 
concealing the fact of her armor. Semmes would never have been 
guilty of such conduct himself. He did not imagine a soldier and a 
gentleman would willingly fight in concealed armor against an unar- 
morcd craft. But war and its animosities are past. We are concerned 
only with the sad but dear memories of the war, and the justice and 
truth of history. Whenever this story of the Alabama and Kearsarge 
is falsely told, as it is almost always told in our histories, it is the duty 
of a Southern man to "absent himself from felicity awhile to tell the 
story" of that daring ship which, for a season, alone drove from the 
seas the commerce of a nation furnished with fleets of war. Her record 
will be a proud one in the annals of American naval warfare in that she 
has contributed to the glories of our history and the most daring and 
eventful career ever run by a single ship upon the seas of the world. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 



259 



I was very much pleased with an editorial that appeared 
in the Macou Telegraph some years ago, and which I gave 
credit without really knowing the fact to the pen of an 
old and valued friend, Col. H. H. Jones, of the 'Indepen- 
dent State of Liberty." 

A REFLECTION. 

The New York Sun, after giving a fairly fair resume of the fight 
between the Kearsarge and the Alabama, as gathered from recent pub- 
lications in the Century, says: "It is one of the strange reflections on 
this great duel, fought in the presence of thousands of spectators who 
lined the heights of Cherbourg, that Winslow is perhaps less widely 
known to fame to-day than Semmes, though the Yankee vessel in an 
hour's fight sank her renowned antagonist." 

"Truth is stranger than fiction," and there is no power that can turn 
or control the natural impulses of the human mind. There is no record 
of any service beyond the fight referred to that should fix the name and 
fame of Captain Winslow in the popular mind. It even requires the 
pens of partial friends at this late day to accord him somewhat ques- 
tionable credit. There was nothing particularly skilful or exciting m the 
manoeuvring or fighting of the Alabama and the Kearsarge, and acci- 
dent alone decided the result. The explanation of the surgeon of the 
Kearsarge as to the firing on the Alabama after her colors were struck, 
and she was sinking, cannot stand before the simple, straightforward 
statement of Captain Kell. If the surgeon had been at his proper post 
he could not have known anything of the details of the duel. 

The failure of Captain Winslow to save drowning men is proof that 
he had been badly shaken by the fight, and that the Alabama did not 
cease to be an object of fear until she sought the bottom of the sea. 
Admiral Semmes had been a naval officer of distinguished service for 
years. But the cruise of the Alabama constitutes one of the great epi- 
sodes of the war, and his own graphic pen has made it for all ages to 
come one of the most exciting "romances of the sea." He was no more 
a pirate than Robert E. Lee may be called a brigand. If he had been 
a buccaneer outlawed by the code of nations. Captain Winslow' s name 
would last forever in the memory of men as the destroyer of a com- 
mon enemy. The world at large does not sympathize with the feelings 
of the Northern people towards Admiral Semmes, and in this may be 
read one of the reasons why his name and fame tower above those of 
Captain Winslow. The Confederate cause for political, commercial 
and social reasons failed to secure the active and practical sympathy of 
other nations, but the respect and admiration of good men of every 



360 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

civilized clime clustered about it and its leaders. Fortune does nol 
always favor the brave, and but few niches in the Temple of Fame 
might be filled if they all were reserved for victors in the strifes of the 
world. People remember and cherish the names of brave and honorable 
men who have highly illustrated these qualities. We present a couple 
of illustrations, both in point, one homely, the other heroic. Every 
American is familiar with the name of George Washington. There is 
not one in a thousand who can recall the name of the Virginia carpenter 
who bested him in a fisticuff. Where's the schoolboy who cannot tell 
you how Leonidas held the pass of Thermopylse? Outside of a college 
professor or literateur, who cares to carry in his memory the name of 
the Persian officer who led the immediate assault upon it? The allied 
arms saved England at Waterloo, but the fame of Wellington has not 
obscured that of Napoleon. 

Another tribute from the pen of the gifted and lamented 
poet, Dr. Frank O. Ticknor, a native Georgian, and I will 
to my narrative again : 

THE SWORD IN THE SEA. 

"The billows plunge like steeds that bear 
The knights with snow-white crests : 
The sea winds blare— like bugles where 
The Alabama rests. 

"Old glories from their splendor-mists 
Salute with trump and hail 
The sword that held the ocean lists 
Against the world in mail. 

"And down from England's storied hills, 
From lyric slopes of France, 
The old bright wine of valor fills 
The chalice of romance. 

"For here was Glory's tourney-field, 
The till-yard of the Sea — 
The battle-path of kingly wrath 
And kinglier courtesy. 

"And down the deeps, in sumless heaps, 
The gold, the gem, the pearl, 
In one broad blaze of splendor, belt 
Great England, like an earl. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 261 

"And there they rest, the princeliest 
Of earth's regalia gems, 
The starlight of our Southern cross — 
The Sword of Raphael Semmes." 

After landing in Southampton, Captain Semmes and I 
took a suite of rooms at Kelway's Hotel, Queen's Terrace. 
He was very much worn and jaded. Disappointment, 
too, had naturally broken his brave spirit, and he was 
greatly depressed. He had also been slightly wounded 
in the hand. After attending to all the business of the 
survivors of the lost ship, he accepted the kind invitation 
of the Rev. Mr. Tremlett and made him a visit at Belsize 
Park Parsonage. This dear "rebel home," as its inmates 
called it, had made very welcome many Confederates of 
renown. Here Commodore Maury was specially beloved, 
and here we all met the best of English society, and many 
English Navy and Army ofificers of note. 

Captain Semmes and I parted at this dear English home 
of ours, I to make my way into the Confederacy to my 
family, and also as bearer of dispatches to the Government 
at Richmond. Our English friends made up a pleasant 
party to take Captain Semmes on the continent for his 
health. My dear commander, to whom I had grown 
greatly attached in these troublous times, was in need of 
rest and change, not so much of climate (for we had been 
in many climes), but change of scene and change of 
thought from the heavy responsibilities of his three years' 
life afloat. I believe I have told of the interest Captain 
Semmes took in me in my early youth — an abiding inter- 
est — for though I lost sight of him and did not meet him 
for many years, most of which I spent on the broad ocean, 
he kept me in mind, and no sooner did he gain a Con- 
federate command than he applied for me as his first 
officer. Our friendship was life-long, and I trust will be 
eternal ! In his own words of his little pleasure trip, they 
"landed at Ostend, passed through Belgium, visited the 
battlefield of Waterloo, spent a few days at Spa for the 



262 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

waters, passed on to the Rhine, up that historic, beautiful 
river to Mayence, thence to the Swiss lakes, resting at 
Geneva." Returning late in September, the 3cl of October 
the captain began his journey home, determining to come 
by way of Mexico and Texas instead of making the efTort 
to run the blockade, which had now become cpiite a dan- 
gerous experiment. 

I sailed in the English mail steamer from Liverpool, 
bound for New York, stopping on her way at Halifax, 
Nova Scotia. Gait and I landed in Halifax, and while 
we were there the Roman Catholic Vicar-General paid 
us the honor of a call through his chief of staff, and 
invited us to a handsome entertainment given us as rep- 
resentatives of Captain Semmes and the South, he being 
a Southern sympathizer and our commander a devoted 
adherent of his church. 

The following day we sailed in the little English mail 
steamer for Bermuda, from which point we were to ven- 
ture on the rather difficult and dangerous task of running 
the blockade. We found the little side-wheel Steamer 
Flamingo ready to sail, and took passage on her. The 
sea was smooth, and beautifully adapted to our little vessel, 
which only drew three or four feet of water and skimmed 
the surface of the ocean like a bird. We began the voyage 
very well, but our first experience at nearing shore was dis- 
appointing. We failed to make the lighthouse, and could 
not ascertain by the bearings whether we were north or 
south of our port of entry, and ran into the shore almost 
within touching distance and shaped our course along it, 
hoping to discover our whereabouts, but failed to find any 
signal. As it was nearing three o'clock in the morning 
we held a consultation and decided it would be more 
prudent to stand ofT to sea and get an offing by day 
break, for fear of being shut in by blockaders. As the day 
opened up a little light to us we discovered two blockaders 
ahead, and three on our quarters We put on all the 
steam we could carry and proceeded eastward. The 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 263 

blockader ahead made every exertion to cut us off and 
fired on us, but the shot fell short, and we continued on 
our course — fairly flying — and soon our pursuers were out 
of sight and we greatly relieved to have made so narrow 
an escape. About eight o'clock we got out instruments 
to establish our longitude and at twelve o'clock we took 
our latitude, placed our position accurately on the chart, 
took our bearings on Fort Fisher, and as the evening drew 
on we got steam up and drew in with the land. Taking 
the bearings which were then open to us, we made all 
steam and passed in under the very guns of the blockaders, 
like a flash of lightning, and as quickly as it takes to relate 
it we were safely anchored under the guns of the fort. A 
basket of champagne was at once ordered up and a toast 
to our successful run was heartily quaffed. The cause of 
our first missing our bearings was due entirely to the 
drunkenness of the officers of the steamer. The risks they 
ran seemed to inspire the desire to get up a little "Dutch 
courage" as occasion required, and came very near pre- 
cipitating us — after all our hair-breadth escapes — into the 
hands of the enemy ! 

In Wilmington I met a friend of the Anderson family, 
who informed me of the report that had reached them 
that their brave young son had perished in the fight off 
Cherbourg, being "literally torn to pieces by the explosion 
of an ii-inch shell." I had the great gratification of tele- 
graphing them of his safety, he being one of the last to 
bid me good-bye in Liverpool. He seemed to them as 
one given back from the dead ! 

In August, 1864, Macon — my haven — was reached at 
last ! After an absence of three years and nearly four 
months I found myself on her kindly soil, united to my 
wife and child. Death had come in my absence, while 
fighting the battles of my country, and bereft us of our 
first-born son, a manly, noble child of six years, and our one 
lovely daughter, a babe of three years (I left her three 
months old). I little feared at that time that I was 



264 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

never to see their fair, bright faces again ! I think it due 
to their memories (that have influenced my whole hfe 
since their early removal) that even in this record of my 
public life I tell the sacrifice that was required of me on 
the altar of duty and patriotism ! 



Chapter XVIII 

Having forwarded my dispatches, in ten days I left for 
Richmond to report and see what I could do for the failing 
fortunes of the Confederacy. I believe I have forgot to say 
that after the battle with the Hattcras I had been promoted 
to commander, of which I was not made aware till the 
commission was nearly a year old, and should not willingly 
have left Captain Semmes and the Alabama even to take 
a command. The commission read as follows : 

Commander John Kell, C. S. A. 

Sir : You are hereby informed that the President has appointed you, 
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a commander in the 
Provisional Navy of the Confederate States, to rank from the 4th day 
of October, 1863, "for gallant and meritorious conduct as First Lieu- 
tenant and Executive Officer of the C. S. Steam Sloops Sumter and 
Alabama, under the command of Captain Raphael Semmes." You are 
requested to acknowledge the receipt of this appointment. 

S. R. Mallory, 
C. S. OF America, Secretary of the Navy. 

Navy Department, June ist, 1864. 

Also this very gratifying letter: 

Confederate States of America, Richmond, Va. 
Commander Jno. McIntosh Kell, P. N. C. S., Macon, Ga. 

Sir : Your letter of the 3d inst., reporting your arrival at Wilming- 
ton under orders from Captain Semmes to report to the Secretary of 
the Navy, was this day received. In congratulating you upon your 
return to your family and home, I deem it but just to you to say that 
the arduous duties which you have so long and ably performed as the 
Executive Officer of the Sumter and the Alabama are highly appre- 
ciated by your Government, and that they have achieved for you proud 
distinction in the naval service of your country, with whose history 
your name will ever be honorably associated. In recognition of your 



266 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

"gallant and meritorious services" I have the pleasure of handing you 
enclosed a commission as commander in the Provisional Navy, by 
direction of the President. Very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

S. R. Mallory, Sec. Navy. 
August 8th, 1864. 

I returned from Richmond for a little longer leave of 
absence with my family, and in October was ordered to 
the command of the new Ironclad Richmond, on the James 
River. In the meantime, with the Yankee raids through 
the country, and the threatened "march through Georgia," 
which was afterwards so effectually accomplished, I took 
my wife and child and left Macon as a "refugee" for awhile. 
I went to Commodore Tatnall, as I passed through Savan- 
nah, and told him where I would be, and asked him to call 
for me if need be. He said, sadly, "Well, my son, it would 
only be to shoulder a musket and go by my side. There 
seems no work for us to do; the Navy has done all it 
could, and you have done your share." 

We went to my relatives, the Mcintosh family, in 
Thomas County, and there spent three quiet weeks. At 
the end of that time I received orders to "proceed to Rich- 
mond without delay." I made three efforts to get off, 
without success. The creeks and rivers were swollen to 
danger point, and the railroads were cut or torn up in 
many places by Yankee raiders. Finally I had orders 
from Richmond to go to Thomasville, Georgia (the near- 
est town) and "impress a conveyance." I found a dilapi- 
dated cloth-covered wagon there, which resembled the 
old-time country "chicken trading" wagons. The ribs 
across were too low for me, and I had to push back the 
cloth for my head to come through; but my wife and 
little son, John, Jr., and the nurse managed to sit com- 
fortably, and we proceeded from Thomasville to Albany, 
a journey, if I remember aright, of two days and two 
nights (camping out), to the tune (for such a conveyance !) 
of five hundred dollars ! The camp fires at night and the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 267 

very cool weather and exposure were a novel experience 
to the inmates of the wagon; but Southern women, even 
of extreme youth, bore everything heroically, and it was 
truly beautiful to witness the patriotism of their exalted 
souls, that rose so high above all discomfort or fatigue; 
that bore up the hearts of fathers, husbands, brothers and 
sons to achieve what they did. The deeds of valor on 
many battlefields were but the reflections of the brave 
hearts of women who loved home, honor and country 
better than life itself; and my countrywomen, though the 
cause failed for which you hoped and endured so much, 
your deeds will live in the memory of the Confederate vet- 
eran while life lasts, and they will teach their children's 
children the reverence and love due to Southen woman- 
hood! 

The second night of our "refugeeing voyage," about 
midnight, a carriage drove up and hailed us, and called 
for me. It was very startling. My wife roused first — 
she thought the enemy were upon us, but she answered 
bravely. Then the voice called out, "Uncle has sent me 
for Cousin Blanche and the boy; he saw the orders pub- 
lished for Richmond, and knew you would go; he is fran- 
tic about his children, and sent me for them." We rested 
the horses, and before daylight started for Albany to 
catch the earliest train for Macon, where we arrived safely, 
to the relief and joy of my wife's family. I had now to 
face the difficulties of a trip "on to Richmond." I find in 
my old letters the account of it : 

Sparta, Ga., December 25th, 1864. 
I have just arrived in a heavy rain ! I had, however, a comfortable 
carriage with Mr. Habersham. He returns to Milledgeville to-morrow, 
having met his family in an open wagon eight miles from that town. 
He kindly insisted upon driving me through to this place, and in the 
morning I will take a seat in the regular hack to Mayfield, and hope to 
reach there by 10 o'clock to take the cars to Augusta, where I shall 
secure transportation and get on, I trust, without much delay to Rich- 
mond. Oh ! what a gloomy Christmas to us, and throughout our be- 
loved country ! 



268 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

Richmond, January ist. 1865. 
I cannot wish you a happy New Year. It would be inconsistent and 
ironical ! but I can and do thank God that you are safe in your father's 
house and under his loving care. Here I am with my dear Bob Minor, 
sharing his room for the day and night. Bob says he is just realizing, 
now that his eyes rest on me, that I am really in the Confederacy at 
last! My dear Bob, he will always be a boy. but he takes me back to 
the time when I was a boy, too. Yesterday I went down the river to 
report to Flag Officer Mitchell, who commands the Ironclad Virginia. 
Captain Roots has the Fredericksburg, and I am ordered to the com- 
mand of the Richmond, which is a fine vessel. These three ironclads 
compose the James River Squadron — so change your present address to 
me. and address to the ship and James River Squadron. It was a ter- 
rible day on the water yesterday — a heavy, driving snow storm, and I 
did not get back till 7 o'clock. Shall be very busy to-morrow, as I 
take command the next day. I think we will be quiet for a while. The 
obstructions in the river and the great severity of the weather prevent 
the enemy moving by land or water, though we are in sight of the 
Yankee lines, and have picket boats out every night. I think Richmond 
is about the securest spot in the Confederacy at present. The ships lay 
about nine miles from the city. I called on Mrs. Mallory on New 
Year's day. She sent her love to you. I also met your friend Mrs. 
Clay. Eaneas Armstrong is attached to the Fredericksburg. I sent 
his mother's letter to him. Richard is in Charleston at his own request, 
on torpedo service. 

C. S. Ironclad Richmond, January 6tli, 1865. 
I cannot give you a very glowing account of my new quarters. I 
had two staterooms knocked into one to give me room. The bed allows 
me to turn over on the mattress of sweetened hay with a few sticks in 
it; this is no disadvantage, however, as I should not sleep too sound 
these "war times." I borrowed six yards of Macon factory cloth to 
make the mattress from Colonel C, and it must be returned on his first 
visit South. I have a little" pine table and an attempt at a set of drawers 
or bureau. I bought a tin basin and pitcher, and as they cost me 
eighteen dollars, I grew economical ! I have also drawn from the ship 
seven yards of double-width gray cloth, and gave sixteen dollars a yard 
to the government for that ; would have paid double or treble that price 
if bought on the market, and now that I have got the cloth it seems too 
expensive to have it made up, though I should like by doing so to keep 
in nice order the handsome uniforms made up in London — but enough 
of myself, and now of my ship. Her shield is covered with five inches 
of iron and she mounts four-inch rifle guns, all in fine condition ; with a 
crew of one hundred and twenty men, exclusive of officers. This mom- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 269 

ing I heard the Federal drums beating quite lively over the hills, but 
they do not seem disposed to make an attack on our works at present. 
I believe I would prefer good weather for a fight. 

C. S. Ironclad Richmond, 

James River Squadron, January 26th, 1865. 

It is a month since I left home, and I have had no reply to my first 
letter. This may be the first news you have to relieve your anxiety in 
regard to the movements of our fleet down the river, which move no 
doubt reached you through the papers. The object of our expedition, 
I regret to say, was not accomplished, resulting from a series of misfor- 
tunes. The greatest of all was getting on shore the two most formidable 
ironclads, the Virginia and this ship, just above the enemy's obstruc- 
tions and under the fire of their batteries. They pelted us for over six 
hours, doing little or no damage to this ship, but succeeded in cutting 
up the Virginia considerably. We were absent a little over twenty-four 
hours, leaving here the evening of the 23d and returning here the morn- 
ing of the 25th, during which time I was on my feet day and night, so 
you can imagine my extreme fatigue. God's mercy and your constant 
prayers call for my gratitude in largest measure ! The weather is in- 
tensely cold, ice forming in the river in great quantities. How must 
our poor soldiers suffer in the trenches ! I have sad news to give you, 
which has just reached me officially. Eaneas Armstrong was drowned 
to-night at 8 o'clock while on picket duty down the river, being run 
over by the flag of truce boat. I saw him two hours before in the com- 
modore's office, and looking so well. He went to ask a permit to go to 
Richmond to see Richard, but the commodore told him "the Squadron 
was under sailing orders;" so of course he could not get the permit; 
and his brave young life went out a sacrifice upon the altar of his coun- 
try ! The bleeding hearts of wife and mother, brothers and sisters, 
will surely find pity and love from Him who does not leave us comfort- 
less, for the death of one who dies nobly, in the path of duty and of 
right. 

This is my birthday. Need I say it has been a sad birthday to me? 
But one has no right to think of birthdays in such times ! 

The report read as follows : 

"C. S. Ironclad Fredericksburg, 

"James River Squadron, January 2ytli, 1865. 
"Commander Kell. 

"Sir: It becomes my painful duty to report, that while the steam 
Torpedo Boat Hornet was proceeding down the river last night upon 
her first tour of picket duty, she was run into and sunk by the flag of 
truce Steamer William Allison, and First Lieutenant Eaneas Armstrong. 
P. N. C. S., was drowned. 



270 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

"Lieut. E. T. Eggleston, C. S. M. C, who was in the Hornet at the 
time, reports the following facts in connection with this sad affair: 
About 7 p. M., and just after getting through the passage at the ob- 
structions in Kingsland Reach, discovered the Allison coming up the 
river. Lieutenant Armstrong, to avoid a collision, ordered the Hornet to 
be steered to the south bank, and made every eflfort to attract the atten- 
tion of the approaching steamer, but failed to do so in time and her 
bow struck the Hornet just abaft the smokestack, causing the latter to 
sink immediately. All hands were precipitated into the river, but all, 
with the exception of Lieutenant Armstrong succeeded through the ex- 
ertions of the crew of the Allison in reaching the steamer in safety, she 
having stopped her engine just before striking. Lieutenant Armstrong 
was, unfortunately, drifted by the current so far below the steamer that 
no trace of him could be found after a vigilant search was made for him 
by Lieutenant Eggleston in one of the boats of the Allison. Owing to 
the excessive cold he doubtless soon became cramped, and in conse- 
quence sunk before aid could reach him. A search was made of the 
south bank of the river this morning with a view to the recovery of his 
body, but such was unsuccessful. 

"The service has thus been robbed of an officer whose merits gained 
for him an enviable reputation; and during his service under my com- 
mand in the recent trying operations of our squadron, it gratifies me to 
say as a slight token of my regard for his worth and an humble tribute 
to his memory, that he behaved with marked coolness and bravery. 
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

"T. E. Shepperd, 
"To Commander Kell, "Lieut. Commanding. 

"C. S. Ironclad Richmond, James River Squadron." 

C. S. Ironclad Richmond, 

James River Squadron, February ist, 1865. 
I am truly distressed that the mails fail to be carried through. I 
have written regularly three times each week. On our return from our 
most unfortunate trip down the river I made a visit of twenty-four 
hours to the city. I found Colonel S. and the baby all well and spent 
a long evening with Captain Semmes. I found him looking remarkably 
well. He delivered your package and told me of his visit to you. The 
Colonel and T. were very anxious for me to remain and have the cap- 
tain to dinner with us, but I felt obliged to return on board ship, for I 
have a very severe cold, and I am sorry to say that drinking the James 
River water is affecting my health very much. I went to bed and took 
some medicine the surgeon gave me, and hope to feel better in a day or 
two. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 271 

February 3d. 
Just received two letters from you fifteen days on the journey. Had 
just sent a letter to you by private hand, the mails seem so unreliable. 
Though I am only nine miles from the city I have only been up once, 
and then on a special visit to see Captain Semmes. I am glad to see 
him looking so improved in health since we parted in England. 

February i6th. 
Glad to hear you received four letters from me at once. You must 
be very anxious at the news we have of the road being cut by Sherman. 
I send this by private hand. I rejoice with you at the mention of "gallant 
conduct" of your one dear brother. There is a rumor to-day of Hamp- 
ton defeating Kirkpatrick, and I hope the next news will be that Johnson 
has defeated Sherman, upon which so much depends. If Sherman 
marches victoriously into Virginia, Richmond must be evacuated. 
Every precaution has been used for the immediate removal of all 
papers of the different departments of the government, but it is under- 
stood that General Lee will hold the city to the very last moment that 
prudence will admit. It will be impossible for you to get a package or 
small trunk through to me from Macon while Sherman holds Branch- 
ville. The weather is so cold and the river so frozen over, the steam- 
boats cannot run. The river water and the intense cold together are 
making me ill, so being utterly disabled and unfit for duty I came up 
to spend a few days with the Colonel and your sister, to see if I can get 
better without going into the hospital. I met our old friend and 
groomsman Gailliard. He has just gotten twenty days' leave of absence 
to go home and get married (he tells me) to the daughter of the 
Member of Congress from South Carolina, Mr. Ker. Boyce. I told 
him these were very troublous times for getting married in, but he was 
too radiantly happy even to regard an allusion to the present times. 
I suppose you have seen through the press that Captain Semmes has 
been made admiral (an honor richly deserved) and is to take com- 
mand of the James River Squadron. 

Richmond, Va., March 17th, 1865. 
I am still here with your dear sister and the Colonel. They are very 
kind to me. The doctor forbids my return to the ironclad till I have 
quite recovered. I suppose you hear all sorts of rumors about the 
evacuation of Richmond. Orders have been given for the removal of 
the different departments ; the work-shops, too, all of which is precau- 
tionary. Should Sherman be successful in his march through North 
Carolina it may become necessary to give up Richmond, and our iron- 
clads will share the same fate as those off Charleston, while we fall 



273 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

back with the Army. Bob puts his horse at my disposal, so I get a 
nice ride on horseback every day, and think I am getting a little 
stronger. To-morrow I will go to Greensboro, N. C, with your sister 
and the baby. It is best for them to be out of Richmond till matters 
are more settled. I do hope the little change will do me good and that 
I may return in a week or ten days quite restored to my post of duty. 

March i8ih. 
Yours of the 15th of last month, which you gave to Mr. and Mrs. 
Clement Clay, reached me to-day, relieving me of much anxiety. They 
did not come further than Augusta, owing to the bad condition of the 
road. I have written by every opportunity going south. So much 
depends upon our holding Richmond, — if that is given up gunboats and 
ironclads must all be destroyed. The naval forces will fall in with the 
Army. Our Navy has been destroyed by piece meal by the evacuation of 
first one and then another of our seaports. However, confidence is 
being restored in our holding this city within the last few days. I send 
you in a little package twenty-four dollars in gold. It is now worth 
seventy for one, and is a balance paid me upon rendering my account 
of traveling expenses home from the Alabama. I send package and 
letter by one of the Colonel's clerks going direct to Macon. 

Danville, Va., March 20th. 
I am getting very much discouraged ! I gain no strength at all, 
even with the change and the very desirable good weather. The news 
is very cheering — General Johnson's army victorious several times with 
severe loss on the enemy's side. Mrs. General Hardee and her 
daughter are our next-door neighbors, so we get the latest news by 
telegraph direct from the General. Affairs around Richmond in statu 
quo, much depending on Johnson's success. [Which hoped-for success, 
alas, never came !] 

No imi)rovcment in health coming to me, of necessity 
I gave up my command, and on sick leave came home to 
Macon, and was in Macon, broken completely in health 
and spirit, when news reached us that General Lee had 
surrendered. The dreaded blow had fallen ! The South 
had fought the world and might had overcome! When 
news of the armistice was carried out to meet the 
incoming army of General Wilson to Macon they at first 
refused to credit it. Knowing that the army was ap- 
proaching, through the advice of my physician, with high 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 273 

fever upon me, I left Macon, taking a favorite servant 
with me, v^^hose parents and grandparents had served my 
family for generations. I found friends and a warm wel- 
come with Colonel P. M. Nightengale, near Hawkins- 
ville, he having moved his family there from the coast for 
safety. They cared for me as though I were a younger 
brother. The evening of the day after our arrival the 
temptation was too great for my servant Henry, and he 
took "French leave," carrying ofT my pistol, a fine navy 
revolver, with him. I forgave the departure more readily 
than I did the theft. I have never seen him since, but his 
old grandfather served me fondly and faithfully till death 
set him free a few years ago, his last hours made happy 
and peaceful by the love and care of my family for him in 
old age, and he died giving us all his blessing and farewell. 
In due time I was paroled as a common soldier, and 
passed through Macon to Spalding County, Georgia, to 
sojourn with the uncle and aunt of my wife, where (though 
I did not dream of it then) I was to make a home and 
spend the rest of my life. In three weeks my wife and 
little son joined me in this quiet country home for a short 
visit. After this, for a long while, with broken health and 
penniless, for, as Admiral Semmes said of himself, hke 
him "I had the honor to come out of the war without a 
dollar, life seemed to me full of chaos and destruction. 
I had not the health at the time to seek to take up my 
profession or work in another country. Many of my friends 
and brother ofificers went out of the South — some to South 
America, some to Egypt to serve the Khedive, quite a 
colony took refuge in Nova Scotia, and some remained 
in Europe where the collapse of the Confederacy found 
them. We passed a quiet summer. In July a son was 
born to us, whom I named for the admiral, his dear name 
being associated with my last dream of glory. In the fall 
of 1865 I made up my mind to start a little farm, to "turn 
my sword into a ploughshare" and "sit in peace under my 
own vine and fig tree." The Confederate banner having 
18 



274 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

been furled to live only in the faithful hearts of the South- 
land, the banner over me should henceforth be that of 
love and home. Next door to our uncle and aunt, they 
having given us a double log cabin, and my wife's father 
adding to it and making us very comfortable, we began 
life anew as Spalding County farmers, and no palace ever 
held such joy and content as ours. We made a fine vege- 
table garden, on which I took several prizes the following 
spring at the "Middle Georgia Fair." Our flowers were 
the admiration of all beholders. For a year or two I 
refrained from reading the newspapers, unless something 
special was brought to my notice, but I took a number 
of agricultural journals, the Southern Cultivator and Mary- 
land Farmer specially. I tried to be practical, but having 
no experience, my neighbors often laughed at my theories 
and book-learning, though I sometimes astonished them 
in a race for success. I only knew by hearsay who was 
President or governor, and my wife and the two happy 
little boys forgot all city ways and fashions. As I look 
back upon those days they seem to have been very happy, 
except that my restoration to health was very slow; and 
the loss of health will mar the happiest surroundings. 

In the winter of 1865 Captain Semmes was arrested — I 
think it was on the 15th of December; Mr. Davis was in 
prison; General Lee had an indictment of treason against 
him, and but for the interference of General Grant would 
no doubt have been tried; Wirtz, the commandant of the 
Southern prison, though a paroled prisoner, had met 
death by execution; Madame Surratt, an innocent woman 
charged with being an accomplice in the assassination of 
Mr. Lincoln, had been hung; Mr. Clement Clay suffered 
imprisonment, though guilty of nothing more than being 
a Confederate Cabinet offker, so the arrest and imprison- 
ment of Captain Semmes assumed a very serious aspect. 
A squad of soldiers took him from his home in Mobile 
to Washington, where he was kept a close prisoner for 
four months. Out of this dilemma he helped himself in 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 375 

his able and powerful defense, which was of course the 
theme of the daily press at the time. His appeal to the 
Chief Executive closes with these words: 

I have thus laid before you tediously, I fear, yet as concisely as is 
consistent with clearness, the grounds upon which I claim at your 
hands, who are the custodian of the honor of a great nation, my dis- 
charge from arrest and imprisonment. I have spoken freely and 
frankly as it became an American citizen to speak to the Chief Magis- 
trate of the American Republic. We live in times of high party 
excitement when men, unfortunately, are too prone to take counsel of 
their passions ; but passions die and men die with them, but after death 
comes history ! In the future, Mr. President, when America shall have 
a history, my record and that of the gallant Southern people will be 
engrafted upon, and become part of, your history, the pages of which 
you are now acting, and the prayer of this petition is that you will not 
allow the honor of the American name to be tarnished by a perfidy on 
those pages. In this paper I have stood strictly on legal defenses, but 
should those barriers be beaten down, conscious of the rectitude of my 
conduct throughout a checkered and eventful career, when the com- 
merce of half a world was at my mercy and when the passions of men 
North and South were tossed into a whirlwind by the current events of 
the most bloody and terrific war that the human race has ever seen, I 
shall hope to justify and defend myself against any and all charges 
affecting the honor and reputation of a man and a soldier. Whatever else 
may be said of me, I have at least brought no discredit upon the Amer- 
ican name and character. 

I am, respectfully, etc., 

Raphael Semmes. 

Washington City, January 15th, 1866. 

I believe the alleged object of the arrest of the admiral 
was "his illegal escape off Cherbourg harbor," with added 
charges of "cruelty to prisoners," etc. As soon as he 
got to Washington (or very soon after) he wrote to ask 
me to hold myself in readiness to come to him at any 
day, which I did not need to be asked to do; but his case 
never came to trial — his able self-defense proved suffi- 
cient. 

It was the cause, however, of my losing a very valuable 
correspondence — many of the admiral's letters, several 



376 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

from Commodore Tatnall, and very many from my 
brother Navy officers. Thinking it safest in those troublous 
times, I made a large package of them and let them down 
by a cord between the wooden walls of the farmhouse in 
which I was then living, waiting for our log castle to be 
finished. The following spring or summer, when I went 
to liberate my valued correspondence from its conceal- 
ment, the enemies of man — mice or rats — had cut the 
cord, and upon removing the plank where they had fallen 
I found my letters in mincemeat ! A ruin of great and 
beautiful thoughts and sentiments, a noting of deeds 
grand and heroic, so much that would have been a pre- 
cious heirloom to my children. 

A few years after the war my dear senior officer hon- 
ored my humble domicile by a visit of some days. Meet- 
ing my wife at the door he took both her hands in his 
and said: "How safely you have anchored my friend Kell; 
I am glad to have a welcome in his port." She smilingly 
presented the children, saying, "These are the anchors, 
Admiral." Our manly boy John, Jr., came to him; then 
his little namesake, who from that time during his visit 
took a seat as of right on his knees, and then our baby 
girl Marjory had her full share of his caresses. He took 
a deep interest in all around me, and said, "Kell, you must 
plaster this house," which I afterward did, at least a part 
of it. My wife told him she "would give him leave to lec- 
ture me on my sectional pride and prejudice; that she 
thought him an example to me of conservatism," etc. He 
replied, very gently, "He has fifteen years (or more) longer 
to live to feel as I do; I am at least fifteen years his senior. 
Give him that long to grow reconciled to things as they 
are." During the visit we discussed the past a great deal, 
and on one occasion the old Confederate scrap-book was 
brought out, containing many pictures from the English 
papers of the Alabama s cruise, officers and career. My 
picture being first, my wife said, apologetically, "Admiral, 
you will easily see who is the hero of the ship to me." He 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 277 

smiled and said, "And so he is to me my right hand, and 
I knew he would be ready when I called him." That he 
should have been satisfied that I had done my duty was 
very dear praise to me, and I here record it, not from 
vainglorious pride, but the desire that my posterity may 
know that I did my duty. Though Captain Semmes lived 
several years after this I never saw him again; but his 
pleasant, cheerful letters came sometimes to brighten us, 
specially to his little namesake and godson, in whom he 
showed an abiding interest as long as he Hved. 

Of the many fine tributes to the bravery of Captain 
Semmes and his ship I have seen none finer than the fol- 
lowing, sent to me by Armstrong, our second officer — 
and, as he remarks, it is the tribute of an enemy ! 

[From the Toronto Leader, July 8tli, 1864.] 

BRAVERY OF CAPTAIN SEMMES. 
[From the New York News.] 

The Alabama cannot be captured. No beam or plan or spar or rope 
or sail of the far-famed sea-rover will ever be a trophy in the hands of 
her enemies. The ocean that has been the scene of her career protects 
her now^ forever! She seemed fated to battle and defy in disaster as 
well as in success. There is sometimes glory in misfortune and tri- 
umph in defeat. The words of the dying Laurence urging resistance 
against hope are more memorable than the records of his victories. 
The fate of the Alabama will be a theme for admiration with friend and 
foe, and we venture to prophesy that many a pen that has been active 
in denouncing her career will acknowledge a certain sublimity in its 
close. The commercial welfare and the naval reputation of the North 
are certainly most beholden to the commander of the Kcarsarge and his 
subordinates for their successful efforts to destroy this formidable 
enemy, but they have "scotched the snake, not killed it." All accounts 
state that the Alabama had suffered severely by the wear and tear of 
her active existence. She had lost much of her capacity for mischief 
and her speed was reduced, and she was in fact worn out with hard 
service and in absolute need of such repairs as no neutral port would 
furnish. It was the indomitable spirit, the untiring zeal, and the splen- 
did management of Captain Semmes that still rendered her formidable. 
That spirit, that zeal, and that capacity for management are yet in the 
service of the Confederacy. The happy star of Semmes watched over 



^78 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

him after the last plank sank beneath him. He, too, escaped capture. 
The romantic attributes of the fight off Cherbourg harbor, and its thrill- 
ing denouement, will but serve to add to his renown and popularity with 
friends of the South. There is more eclat attached to his name by the 
circumstances of his defeat than by the long list of his successes. A 
public dinner was tendered him immediately upon his arrival at South- 
hampton after the engagement. Captain Semmes will be lionized, feted 
and encouraged. We doubt not that before long a second Alabama will 
be at his command. Meanwhile her commander has lost no prestige. 
He has sacrificed perhaps a little of his reputation for sagacity in risk- 
ing an encounter with an opponent far his superior in speed, armament 
and strength of build, but human nature is more apt to sympathize with 
reckless daring than to condemn it. He has saved a handful of his men, 
who will serve as a nucleus for another crew, and there will be no lack 
of adventurous characters ready to serve the man who fought his ship 
till her guns were under water and then committed her to old Nep- 
tune's eternal embrace, leaving no vestige behind but the record of her 
deeds. 

[From the South Atlantic Magazine, November, 1877.] 

CAPTAIN JOHN N. MAFFITT, ON LIFE AND SERVICES OK RAPHAEL SEMMES. 

On the 29th day of August last the startling intelligence was an- 
nounced by telegraph that Admiral Semmes, the Bayard of the late Con- 
federate Navy, had calmly "welcomed the peaceful night of long repose" 
and ceased to be numbered among the living. This sad annunciation 
affected every Southern heart with melancholy and grief, intensified as 
memory's panoramic review of past events pictured to the mind's eye 
the battle and the storm, the daring seaman and incomparable Viking 
of the ocean. Raphael Semmes was born in Charles County, Maryland, 
on the 27th day of September, 1809. At the age of sixteen was ap- 
pointed midshipman by President John Quincy Adams. In October, 
1826, on the Sloop of War Lexington, sailed from New York for Port 
Spain, Island of Trinidad, to convey to the United States the remains 
of the lamented Commodore Oliver H. Perry, the hero of Lake Erie, 
who, while attending to important diplomatic duties, died of yellow fever 
in the town of Angostura, on the Orinoco River, August, 1819. 

The young midshipman from the time of entering the Navy was re- 
markable for studiousness. The board of examiners awarded him the 
first honors of his class. His active mind was never "off duty." While 
a passed midshipman on leave of absence he entered the office of his 
brother, a distinguished lawyer, and began with avidity the study of 
law. At the conclusion of the Mexican War (in which he took an 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 279 

active part) he was ordered to command the Ordnance Transport 
Electra. He occasionally practiced at the bar. In 1858 he was ordered 
to Washington city to assume the position of Secretary to the Light- 
house Board, upon which duty he remained until February, 1861, when, 
following the fortunes of his adopted State, Alabama, he severed his 
connection with the United States Government. Raphael Semmes for 
thirty-five years in the United States Navy had enjoyed an unblemished 
reputation as an officer and high-toned gentleinan. His attainments 
were of the highest order, not only professionally, but also from a 
scientific and literary point of view. Later, he developed his master 
genius in the great arena of national strife, and displayed a chivalry 
that crowned him in the estimation of the unprejudiced world. Viking 
of the Seas. 
He had ever 

"The keen spirit — seizes the prompt occasion — 
Makes the thought start into instant action 
And at once plans and performs, resolves and executes !" 

Captain Semmes fitted out the little Sumter and unfurled the first 
Confederate flag upon the ocean. [The story of his many captures and 
grand successes has already been told.] * * * jn ^-^e history of the 
world there is no record of the existence of so terrible a cruiser as the 
Alabama, the proud ship that met her doom in the historic British Chan- 
nel. Over the tafifrail rolled the waves, as deeper and deeper the noble 
craft settled. Raising his sword with affectionate solicitude, he gently 
placed it on the binnacle, sorrowfully exclaiming, "Rest thee, excalibar, 
thy grave is with the Alabama!" Giving one last sad look from the stem 
to the stern of his lost ship, a thousand glorious memories flashed 
proudly through his mind as accompanied by his first lieutenant he 
sprang into the sea. * * * England received him kindly, a beautiful 
sword replaced the lost one, and a lady of high rank made for him with 
her own hands out of richest silk, a mammoth Confederate flag. Re- 
turning home his government commissioned him admiral, his being the 
second promotion to that position that had occurred in the Confederate 
Navy. After the defeat of the cause he served so nobly he edited a 
daily paper in Mobile, and subsequently a daily journal in Memphis. 
Later, he returned to his first love and resumed the practice of law in 
Mobile, where he achieved a high reputation as a constitutional lawyer 
and an earnest practitioner at the bar. Modest and unassuming, his dig- 
nified deportment won for him the respect and confidence of the com- 
munity in which he lived. * * * 

On the 17th of August, 1877, Admiral Semmes complained of feeling 
ill and the resident physician at Point Clear, Alabama, was summoned. 



280 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE- 

After repeated visits he became anxious, and expressed a desire for a 
consulting physician. The admiral objected, saying to him, "I know 
my rage is run; there is not sufficient vitality in my old and worn-out 
frame to battle successfully with the disease that grapples me unto 
death." Four days before he expired he received the last sacrament of 
the Romish Church, of which he was a devoted member. 

Gently, calmly, this chivalric king of the sea surrendered to the 
great conqueror — King Death. His body was carried by steamer from 
Point Clear to Mobile, attended by his family, the clergy and a large 
number of citizens. The pall-bearers, consisting of members of the 
First Regiment of Alabama State Troops and many of Mobile's most 
distinguished citizens, under the escort of the Mobile Rifles and the 
members of the bar, conveyed the remains to the cathedral, where Father 
Ryan, after the celebration of mass, delivered an eloquent oration on 
the character of the deceased. Bishop Quinlan concluded the services 
at the cathedral and the hearse, drawn by four white horses, was 
escorted by the various civil and military associations and a general 
gathering of the people through the solemn streets of the city to the 
Catholic Cemetery, where, in the language of the Mobile Register, 
"all that was mortal of one of earth's greatest heroes was left to that 
sleep that knows no earthly waking." 

During the day all official places, stores and business offices were 
closed and draped in mourning. From sunrise to sunset, at intervals of 
half an hour, funeral guns were fired, and every mark of honor, 
esteem, and sympathy was exhibited that seemed appropriate to the 
melancholy occasion. "Yesterday he was ours : to-day he belongs to 
fame and to history." A fame that is not the exclusive endowment of 
the South. It enriches the world, the pages of whose history confess 
no truer gentleman, no more stainless hero in all the illustrious cata- 
logue of the dead. Without fear and without reproach he may appeal 
to history. We can say with the poet — 

"Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter's blight, 
Nor Time's remorseless doom 
Shall dim one ray of holy light 
That gilds thy glorious tomb." 



Chapter XIX 

The solitude of our country home was often broken 
in upon by friends, who sought us out with unforgetting 
love. My dear Robert Minor walked in upon us unex- 
pectedly one day, and oh! the joy of that meeting! that 
reunion! Our eldest son, John, Jr., was having a birth- 
day party with his little friends and schoolmates. Bob was 
the happiest of the lot. He entered into all the youngsters' 
games and mirth, nearly hugged the breath out of little 
Semmes, and held the baby girl Marjory with patience 
unrivaled, telling us all the time about his own loved 
ones and home. Bob was an embodiment of bravery and 
tenderness — all children loved him. That my posterity 
may value this friend of my youth and my life, I here 
insert some extracts of letters, and his graphic account of 
the battle between the Monitor and the Virginia, or Merri- 
mac, in which he took an active part, and volunteering to 
fire the Cnnibcrland was wounded. The following letter 
was written to my wife soon after the battle : 

Naval Hospital, 

Norfolk, Va., March 8th, 1862. 
My Dear Friend : The Yankees have shut me up for a while with 
a ball through my side, but with the blessing of God and the aid of a 
strong constitution I hope to be up and at work again before very long. 
The papers have no doubt told you all about our terrible conflict and 
subsequent victory, and I can add but little to that you already know, 
save to tell you that we went into battle to do- our best, trusting in 
Almighty God to guard and protect us, and most signally has His 
Merciful Providence been extended over us, for which in my heart I 
try to be thankful ; but I fear that I am not sufficiently so, nor can I 
ever be for sparing me to meet again those so inestimably dear to me. 
Kell's old friend, Captain Franklin Buchanan, of the Susquehanna, of 
East India celebrity, was our flag officer, and most bravely, most nobly 



.82 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

did he take us into action, right up to the enemy, and exposing himself 
entirely too much for his own safety and the ultimate good of our 
country. He did me the honor to appoint me flag lieutenant of his 
squadron, consisting of all the vessels in the waters of Virginia, and as 
you would no doubt like to know who the other officers were, I annex a 
list of them, among whom you will find some of your old acquaint- 
ances — 

Flag officer, Franklin Buchanan; ist lieutenant, Catcsby Ap. R. 
Jones; 2d lieutenant, Chas. C. Simms ; flag lieutenant, Robert D. Minor; 
3d lieutenant. Hunter Davidson ; 4th lieutenant, John Taylor Wood ; 
5th lieutenant, John R. Eggleston ; 6th lieutenant, Walter R. Butt; pay- 
master, James Semple; surgeon, R. B. Phillips; assistant surgeon, Al- 
gernon S. Garrett; captain of marines, Reuben Thorn; chief engineer, 
Ramsey; sailing master. Parish; midshipmen, Littlepage, Foute, Mar- 
maduke, Rootes, Long, Craig ; commodore's clerk, Arthur Sinclair, Jr. ; 
secretary, D. A. Forrest. 

Among our several engineers I found one originally from the vicinity 
of Macon, a young Mr. White, who told me that he knew your father 
very well. He did his duty well, and stood fire like a true Georgian. 
The crash into the Cumberland was terrific in its results, for in thirty 
minutes after the action commenced the ship was at the bottom with, I 
fear, hundreds carried down in her. Radford was her captain, but was 
absent. George Morris and Stribling are said to be her lieutenants, and 
have probably perished. Our cleaver fairly opened her side, and down 
she went, though fighting as long as she could. Her masts, inclined at 
an angle of forty-five degrees, now mark the remains of this once gal- 
lant ship. She will never burn another navy-yard on Southern soil ! 

The Congress engaged us a while, but soon knocked under, and Billy 
Parker, commanding the C. S. Gunboat Beaufort, was sent with orders 
to "let her crew go ashore, her officers to be brought on board, and to 
burn the frigate," then hard aground near the Point. While endeavor- 
ing to execute the directions of the flag officer the enemy opened on 
him from the shore so hotly that he was forced to retire, but the com- 
modore and myself, not knowing this, and seeing that the Congress was 
not in flames, the old gentleman became very anxious to destroy her, 
which he could not do while she had the white flag flying, and though 
he had once declined my volunteered offer to burn her, he accepted it 
when I made a second offer. For this purpose I took some eight or 
ten men in our only remaining boat and pulled towards her, while the 
fight was going on between the James River Squadron and the Min- 
nesota. The flag officer ordered Lieutenant Webb in the Teaser to pro- 
tect me in my little boat, for as I drew near the Congress the soldiers 
on shore opened on me with artillery and musketry, and very soon two 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 283 

of my men and myself were knocked down. I was only down a second 
or two, and, steering my crippled boat for the Teaser, Webb took us 
to the Virginia, where it had already been reported that they were 
firing upon me, and the flag officer, seeing it, deliberately backed our 
dear old craft up close astern of the Congress and poured gun after 
gun, hot shot and incendiary shells into her, when the smoke began to 
arise from her. The fierce flames exploded her magazines a little after 
midnight with a shock so terrible that it shook the windows of houses 
miles away from the Point. The flag officer was severely wounded 
while this cannonading was going on, being struck in the left thigh by 
a minnie or musket-ball, which so disabled him that he was taken be- 
low, and Catesby Jones, our brave and determined ist lieutenant, fought 
the action out, which on Saturday resulted in the sinking of the Cum- 
berland, the burning of the Congress, the serious injury of the Min- 
nesota, the defeat of the St. Laurence, the retreat of the Roanoke (all 
first-class, heavy ships), and the destruction of a tug and some schoon- 
ers — a good day's work for the Virginia, ably assisted as she was by the 
Patrick Henry, Commander Tucker; Thomas Jefferson, Lieutenant 
Commanding Barney ; Teaser, Lieutenant Commanding Webb ; Beau- 
fort, Lieutenant Commanding Parker, and Raleigh, Lieutenant Com- 
manding Alexander. Saturday night the battle ceased, the wounded 
among the crews being sent to this place, while the flag officer and I 
remained on board till Sunday morning, the action re-commencing soon 
after we left between the Virginia and the Minnesota, hard aground 
in such shoal water that our ship could not approach her closely, and 
the Monitor (your old acquaintance, John L. Worden, commanding) 
coming to her assistance, a hard fight took place between these two 
ironclad batteries, which resulted in nothing but some little damage 
on both sides, and so the Monitor, clearing out towards Old Point, our 
squadron came up to Norfolk. As soon as the Virginia is ready (by 
Saturday, I hope) she will drive ahead at them again. Thus ended our 
first big naval fight, and I thank our Merciful Father for giving us the 
victory over our enemies. Our total loss among all the ships was nine 
killed, among them Lieutenant James Taylor, of Virginia, and Midship- 
man Hutter, also of Virginia; about fifteen or eighteen wounded, one 
of whom has since died. The flag officer is here and is doing quite well, 
though his wound is quite a severe one. The ball struck me in the side, 
glanced around, and came out near the heart, and though not serious, 
is a severe wound, one which the doctors say will keep me off duty for 
about two months. D. heard of it Sunday and came at once to me 
Monday. God bless the women ! What would the world be without 
them? Our children are in Richmond with my brother, where we hope 
to rejoin them. And now I have done with self, except to ask you to 



284 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

pardon this ill-looking scrawl, as I write in bed and by "fits and starts," 
as I get a chance. 

Julian Myers (brother of Purser Myers of the Sumter) told Parker 
and myself a few weeks ago that the Sumter had destroyed 109 vessels, 
and Lieutenant McCorkle told me that she had $1,400,000, most of which 
he supposed had been sent to England ; but I am inclined to think from 
later and more direct news that this latter item is all a mistake, for 
Captain Pegram of the Nashville sent Captain Semmes some money at 
Captain Semmes's request to Gibraltar. The Yankee vessels taken by the 
little Sumter have not generally had much money on board, hence 
Semmes's request for funds. I do not believe the printed report that 
Semmes was arrested at Tangier; but even if it is true the Confederate 
Government would have in his successor as brave and gallant a cap- 
tain for the Sumter (now far-famed) as ever trod a deck or struck a 
blow for his country's cause. I hope most earnestly, my friend, that 
you have had letters from him by the Nashville or the Economist at 
Charleston, Chas. Fauntleroy on board. D. and I think and talk often 
and often of both of you, and deep would be our joy to see you united 
once more in safety, which we pray God may soon be granted. Yes, my 
friend, I pray for him, for you, and your little children, and when this 
war is at an end, oh, how glad we will be to see you all in Virginia! 
Now our beautiful country is given up. "Linden," "Eastern View," 
and the "Grove" are between our lines and the enemy, and we know not 
what will be the result ! I think the President was right in withdraw- 
ing our army from Manassas. How are the two little boys and the dear 
little girl, my godchild? Give my warm regards to your father, write 
me at Richmond, and tell me all you know about Kell, also of his 
mother and sisters. D. sends her best love to you, and I am affec- 
tionately and sincerely your friend, 

Robert D. Minor. 

This devoted friend of my boyhood watched my move- 
ments abroad with loving- interest, and always tried to 
cheer my family if unfavorable news of the Sumter, and 
later of the Alabama, was reported, and no brother could 
have been more faithful. Once he writes: 

Of course it would be no use for me to write on any other topic till 
I tell you all about the little Sumter and her brave fellows. She is 
not "wrecked !" She has not "gone to the Pacific." She was heard 
from in September at the Island of Trinidad. The Navy Department 
wishes that she was now in some port of the Confederacy, in which I 
know you piously join I But to details. Early in September there was 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 285 

a report in circulation, originating somewhere in the fertile region of 
lies, that the little craft had been lost by running ashore at night, and 
for a while it was believed to be so, but seventeen days later than the 
date of her loss she was at the Island of Trinidad. She did not remain 
long, but continued her cruise in accordance with instructions giving 
her a "roving commission to go where she could inflict most injury on 
the commerce of the enemy." The latest news of her at the Navy 
Department is to the i6th of September. My impression is that after 
cruising two months or more off the coast of Brazil she returned to 
the West Indies to operate there, or else (as is barely possible) she 
may have relied on her sails to take her across to the British Channel ; 
but the steamer is small and her capacity for storage of supplies so 
limited I hardly think they could have favored this step. I hope and 
believe she has "doubled" on her pursuers, the Poivhatan and the Key- 
stone State, and is once more on her "native heath" among the West 
India Islands. Although Kell is doing our country good and noble 
service, for your sake I do wish he was at home, for there is duty 
enough to be done here, and we want clear heads and strong wills to 
work out the problem of our independence, of which I have never had 
a doubt, so great is my reliance on the righteousness of our cause and 
the high protection afforded by Almighty God. 

Of course I cannot conjecture when the Sumter will return to the 
Confederacy, but I think it cannot be long. She may from several 
causes have to discontinue her cruise. It would not surprise me if she 
were sold in a foreign port, and her officers and crew find their way 
home as best they may ! So you need not be surprised to see him, and 
next to you and his mother there is no one who would hail his safe 
and speedy return more gladly than myself, for not only were we 
friends as boys, but our friendship has "grown with our growth and 
strengthened with our strength !" God bless the old fellow is my daily 
prayer. May He watch over and bring him back in safety to those who 
love him so well ! I hope to pass many merry, happy days with him 
yet, and when he brings you all to see us one of these days I'll show the 
little boys "specimens of natural history," the like of which the broom- 
sedge hills of Georgia never saw ! Very, very happy days were those 
at the Pensacola Navy Yard, when Kell's was a charming home for us, 
on the little Preble. I felt very sorry for the ship when I read her fate, 
but not a whit of sorrow for those on board of her, handling my guns, 
sleeping in my room, and working the little ship I loved so well. I 
have lately been in a very perilous expedition planned by Commodore 
Mathew F. Maury. Some time since I had several shots at the U. S. 
Steamer Pocahontas, and two days after the Battle of Manassas I 
found the body of Lieutenant Douglas Ramsey, of the U. S. A., on the 



286 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

field and had it decently interred, as he was an old acquaintance of mine, 
and the son of Captain Ramsey of the Navy. Sometimes I have tvifo or 
three men's work to do in Ordnance Department. D. is with me. Do you 
get Richmond papers daily? They will be full of interest for the next 
three months. Always let me know if I can do anything for you ; it gives 
me such sincere pleasure to do it. Always write me when you have 
news of John. Give love to his mother and sisters. Kiss my little 
goddaughter and hug the little boys. Don't let them forget me, the 
devoted friend of their father and mother. Does "Mundy" still pray 
for "Bob?" I hope so! God bless you and yours. 

Affectionately, your friend, 

R. D. Minor. 



The loving brotherhood that existed in the friends of 
the old Navy is something dear and sacred beyond words 
to look back upon. He, my boyhood's friend, has long 
since preceded ns to the "better land," and it is sweet to 
remember him as one who loved God and his family and 
friends with faithful heart, and served his country, doing 
his full duty with noble, patriotic fervor. God grant us 
a happy reunion beyond the Sea of Time ! 



Chapter XX 

Among the pleasant things that came into my Hfe about 
this time I wiH mention this little incident, I had occa- 
sion to go to the coast, and in crossing over in the little 
steamer from Brunswick to Darien the captain came to 
me and said, "Is this Captain Kell?" I replied, "Yes." 
"Well," he said, "Captain Kell, I am glad to see you, and 
you are expected. I promised to give a signal to the 
shore when you were on my boat when we pass Barratt's 
Island. You have an old comrade there, one of your 
men on the Alabama." "What is his name?" I inquired. 
"Rawse, sir." I tried to think, but the name was not 
familiar to me. However, I knew that seamen seldom 
use their own names. In a short time we came in sight 
of the island, and soon quite near it, and the signal was 
given. Out came a man, whom I recognized even at that 
distance as our master-at-arms. I raised my hat, and he 
uncovered his head and proceeded to give me from a pile 
of muskets at his side, that he had arranged for the pur- 
pose, a commodore's salute of thirteen guns, deliberately 
one by one! I waved my thanks and the little steamer 
passed on. Loyal Rawse, he knew what should have been 
my rank but for ill fortune and defeat, and determined that 
he at least would recognize it ! The next day he came 
up to see me, and was very happy at the meeting. I said, 
"Well, Master-at-arms, I am glad to see you once more; 
tell me all about yourself." I found he was a sort of 
sentinel guard, or watchman to the convicts, that island 
being worked by convict labor. While in the city of 
Darien, Dr. Duncan, one of the OAvners of the island and 
lessees of the convicts, came to me and said : "Your friend 
Rawse gave us a terrible scare yesterday. We thought 



288 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

at the repeated firing- of tlie muskets kept for our protec- 
tion that the convicts had risen in mutiny and our island 
was in a state of insurrection. We were rejoiced to find 
it was a sahite to our Georgia commodore instead." 

It has l)een a great pleasure to meet at times the loyal, 
brave fellows that served with us, and Savannah held quite 
a number — Brooks, one of our efficient engineers; Mar- 
melstein, our young signal ofiicer, who had the honor of 
unfurling the first Confederate flag to the breeze on the 
ocean; the brave seaman, Michael Mars, who picked up 
an unexploded shell during the action with the Kcarsarge 
and threw it overboard, perhaps saving lives thereby, and 
who only a few short years ago passed away from earth. 
I love to meet the brave and gallant fellows who made the 
glory of our little ship and were so loyal hearted. 

Three years after the Civil War closed a great sorrow 
befell my family in the death of my wife's father. Think- 
ing it best to make a change for tliem, and hoping the 
change would benefit my still weak health, I took my 
family out to Nova Scotia for some months. Armstrong, 
who resided there, had long ago suggested it to me as a 
motive for renewing health. We sailed from New York 
for Halifax in one of the fine English steamers, and I 
had four days of pleasure on Old Ocean again. We had 
a very pleasant season in that unrivaled summer climate, 
spending some weeks in the city of Halifax. Commodore 
Tatnall's family. Captain John Taylor Wood, the Wilker- 
sons, the Sinclairs, ex-Governor Charles J. Jenkins and 
family, Lieutenant Hoge, my friend and comrade Arm- 
strong, his young wife and child, and many other South- 
erners formed a delightful society for us. We went into 
the country for a couple of months, to Petpeswick Bay, 
Musquidoboit Harbor, where the fishing was fine — mack- 
erel, cod, herring and salmon, fresh from the water, mak- 
ing a wholesome diet, and all so great a change to us from 
our sunny Southern home. I do not think there can be 
in the whole world anything more beautiful than this A|ca- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 389 

dian country, where I have somewhere heard or read that 
Longfellow went to write his "Evangeline" or others of 
his poems, where one can readily imagine the task could 
be made easy in the sight of the limpid streams and little 
miniature lakes, a chain of which we passed in our thirty- 
mile drive from Halifax to the bay. Our beautiful even- 
ing walk was usually to a small church, beside which was 
the manse embowered in vines and flowers, all so sug- 
gestive of the "Lights and Shadows of Scottish Life," 
the stories so enchanting to youths in days gone by. It is 
the land of mosses and lichens, where one scarcely sees 
the face of the earth for its beautiful adornment of green, 
and the deep blue sky above is heavenly in its color (like 
October skies at home); and gazing into its depths of 
ether one must be drawn away in thought and made for 
a time, at least, to forget earth's desolate unrest. The 
summer was blessed to us in the re-establishment of health, 
and we returned in the fall to the dear old "red clay hills" 
of middle Georgia, quite invigorated. I had no complaint 
of invalidism thereafter, and with my active outdoor life 
and constant exercise soon did credit in health and 
strength to the blood of my Highland ancestors. 

In the fall of 1873 a message came over the wires to 
me from Selma, Alabama: "The doctor has been very ill; 
is convalescing; will come to you for a change." Back 
flew the answer: "Rejoice to hear it; come at once." One 
of the beloved friends of my life. Dr. Charles Frederick 
Fahs, of the United States Navy, with whom I spent the 
cruises to China and Japan in our youth, and whom I 
had not seen for seventeen long years, came to my home 
to die. With his wife and brother they left Selma, and he 
seemed to improve each mile of the way, till nearing At- 
lanta a chill of congestive nature set in, and his condition 
became alarming. Upon arriving in Atlanta Dr. West- 
moreland and other physicians were summoned, who 
urged delay, and that he should remain there; but he 
steadily refused, saying, "If I must die, I would rather die 
19 



290 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

with Kell." The cars brought hhn to my door at nine 
o'clock in the morning. On a bed he was brought into 
my house, but growing weaker each moment. Before 
the sun set, nine hours after he came, his noble spirit de- 
parted unto God who gave it, as he leaned upon my breast 
to die. His triumph in departing (though he had so 
much to leave in lovely wife and children) was beautiful 
to see, and something never to be forgotten, increasing 
our faith, enlarging our hope, telling us, "It is not all of 
life to live, nor all of death to die!" 

Dr. Charles Frederick Fahs was a man of science and 
learning, who adorned his profession, and who, like the 
great Maury, was a man of noble simplicity of character 
and childlike faith in God. He wrote the flora and fauna 
for the Japan Expedition, which added much to Commo- 
dore Perry's published volumes for the United States Gov- 
ernment of that very interesting period. Peace to the 
ashes of one so noble and beloved. 

"Friend of my early days, 

None knew thee but to love thee, 
None named thee, but to praise." 

In the year 1886 I was invited by the Century Magazine 
to write an article on the historical fight between the Ala- 
bama and the Kearsarge. The use of the pen has always 
been a burden to me, and my life has been one of deeds, 
not words. I at first declined. I thought Admiral 
Semmes's book was enough for history and the world. T 
had been solicited by many leading journals, and the press 
of the country often, to write, but my farming life left me 
little time, and I had always declined. After a second 
invitation, yielding to the earnest entreaties of my home 
circle, who considered it a duty I owed to the "Lost 
Cause." I wrote the historical article embodied in their 
"Battles and Leaders of the Civil War." It was really 
amusing and interesting to see my mail for some time after. 
I felt offended that the lying sailor yarn preceded my arti- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 291 

cle, and that the "hearsay," though able, article of Dr. 
Browne followed it, but I made up my mind to take no 
notice of it, when to my great pleasure I found Gait could 
not stand it, and emerged from the solitude of his country 
home to defend the truth of history, 

CIVIL WAR HISTORY. 

To the Editor of the Sun. 

Sir: In the April number of the Century Magazine appeared the 
long-looked-for articles on the Alabama, which attracted notice rather 
from the expectation of their containing new developments of an already 
well-understood story of the war than from any hope that what was 
already known would be correctly stated by Northern writers. As one 
of the Alabama's officers, who served on board her whole cruise, it is 
not out of place for me to correct some of the gross errors which the 
sailor's story wilfully, and the doctor's through hearsay, are more or 
less full of, and between which Captain Kell's direct and truthful narra- 
tive was sandwiched and shrouded by some curious stories and pictures 
which have amused those who were present on the scene. The story of 
the sailor is such a vulgar misrepresentation of the history of the ship 
that it has excited surprise that a reputable journal like the Century 
should permit such a tissue of statements worse than errors to have a 
place in what is supposed to be history, even though pictorial, of the 
Civil War. The man's name is unfamiliar to me, but if it be a nom de 
plume he has done the most decent thing he could to hide his identity 
when telling such stories about his ship. If he was a sailor on the ship 
his account at once convicts him of a treacherous record, and if he has 
been writing from hearsay he has simply been paid for an elaborate 
series of forecastle inventions utterly without truth. Nor can my mem- 
ory refer me to any one on board whose career was so bad (except the 
man Forrest) as to have tried to traduce the record of the ship. The 
article would not have been considered worth notice had not the Pall 
Mall Gasette judged from that account harshly of the discipline on the 
Alabama, and thus tried to injure the reputation of as fine a crew as 
ever served, whether English or other. The stories of mutiny and want 
of subordination are such absurd exaggerations that one hardly knows 
how to deny them, and the well-known record of the Alabama's work 
in every phase of her career is the best commentary on such trash as 
the sailor has put forth. It is difficult to understand why such accounts 
were published, except on the ground of enduring malice on the part of 
some writers and readers owing to the great damage done on the high 
seas by the Alabama, and when it is known that the editor of the maga- 



292 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

zine desired Captain Kell in his article not to let the bitterness of the past 
be introduced, it is somewhat singular that this narrative should have 
been flanked by a series of statements which the merest tyro in criti- 
cism must have seen to be gross exaggerations. The loyalty of the 
crew of the Alabama to the flag they served under, the cheerfulness 
with which they stood up to the varied emergencies of her career, and 
the gallant fight they made at the last against their invulnerable enemy 
/could not have been surpassed ! The greater part of the crew were 
English, and they behaved with the customary bravery and fortitude of 
their race. If Haywood was of that race he has certainly managed to 
distinguish himself, nor has the Century added much to the character 
which it has striven for as a pictorial recorder of the late Civil War. 
Among the items in the sailor's account as especially absurd is the idea 
of Captain Semmes being thought by the crew to have been a parson! 
While that would have been no discredit, it is however the case that he 
was a consistent member of the Roman Catholic Church, and there was 
nothing in his bearing to indicate that he was anything but what he 
looked and acted — an officer of great determination, with intelligent 
direction of resources in peace and war; an admirable judge in manag- 
ing his crew with a high appreciation of the great responsibility of his 
position, which he worthily maintained under all circumstances. 

Other misrepresentations are the stories of the conduct of the board- 
ing crews on prizes. Notwithstanding the very great temptations to 
pillage, I cannot recall any complaints made by the boarding officers. 
Nor do I remember complaints on the part of masters of prizes about 
the undisciplined conduct of our men. The account of the conduct of 
the crew at Martinique is a pure fabrication, especially the story of the 
"connivance of French Naval officers and shore authorities" to assist us 
in getting clear of a supposed United States man-of-war. There are 
scattered through the whole of this sailor's story these repeated accounts 
of the crew which are totally unworthy of credit, such as the smug- 
gling of liquor from prizes, wholesale desertion at the Cape of Good 
Hope, and in fact almost his entire narrative shows a hopeless want of 
regard for the truthfulness which is just as becoming in the forecastle 
as elsewhere. Dr. Browne's article is a very much more creditable 
contribution to the Northern side of the question, as was to be ex- 
pected. The doctor very naturally, from his position on board the 
Kcarsarge, must have written most of his piece from hearsay. As both 
his commander and executive officer were dead, he probably thought 
himself, as an old Navy man, better qualified by observation and expe- 
rience to give a correct account of the fight with the Alabama, as the 
other line officers, he says, were mostly from the merchant marine. His 
only error of any consequence is in reference to the Alabama's firing 
after her surrender. This is simply not correct! The fire of the Ala- 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE §93 

bama was suspended for awhile, as Captain Kell says, "owing to the 
shifting of her battery," but after the flag was hauled down there was 
no shot fired from that ship. The story the doctor tells as heard from 
the "prisoners" about the junior officers of the Alabama firing after the 
surrender is entirely without foundation, as was also the report that 
additional men were taken on board the Alabama at Cherbourg. It is 
very probable that the firing from the Kearsarge after the Alabama's 
hauling down her flag was the result of flurry and doubt on the part 
of Captain Winslow, who perhaps felt himself surprised into a victory 
over a vessel which had been so conspicuous during the war and had 
hitherto eluded the best efforts of capture. 

The doctor would have shown better taste if he had omitted his 
opinion of a rather murderous kind about tho. Alabama' s deserving to be 
sunk with all on board for her supposed firing after surrender! 
The hesitancy of the Kearsarge to send boats after the fight, was no 
doubt owing to that same doubt as to whether the Alabama was really 
sinking or not, though it seems that it might have been noticed, or the 
captain might have imagined that the Alabama was about to take a 
dive under to reappear as a submarine torpedo to effect against her 
enemy what her shot could not against the enemy's well-cabled sides. 
This delay to send boats to the sinking ship very naturally determined 
the officers and crew of the Alabama to look out for themselves, and 
thus deprived the enemy of the great satisfaction of getting Captain 
Semmes and others. The results of the fight of the Alabama were 
adverse for very simple reasons, as stated by Captain Kell, the damaged 
condition of the powder, the efficient plating of the Kearsarge and the 
foul bottom which injured the Alabama's sp€ed. In fact, like all other 
important disasters to the Confederacy, it was the result of want of 
resources in material which the greatest skill and heroism could not 
cope with. 

There is nothing but favorable report to make of the condition of 
the Kearsarge after the fight, and the treatment of prisoners and 
wounded men taken on board was all that medical attention and cour- 
tesy could have desired. 

Francis L. Galt, 
Surgeon of C. S. Steamer Alabama. 

Upperville p. C, Fauquier Co., Va. 

May, 1886, the Century's editor wrote me: 

Dear Sir : By an oversight this copy of a letter received by us from 
Mr. Walt Whitman goes to you rather late, for which we apologize : 



294 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

"Camden, New Jersey, April 3d, 1886. 
"My reading for the last two or three days (limited) of the articles 
in Century about Kearsarge and Alabama, which I have just finished. 
They form by far the best contribution I know to the literature of the 
Secession era, and are full of realism and thrill. The pictures are mas- 
terly. I only wish we could have accounts of all the swell episodes of 
the war in the same way, or approximately to it. I want personally to 
thank you all, writers and picture-makers. 

"Walt Whitman." 

I had scores of letters from personal friends, whose 
approbation and appreciation of my contribution to his- 
tory gave me much pleasure. 



Chapter XXI 

Many years ago, when Mr. Davis was invited to make 
his tour of triumph through the South and be present at 
the unveiling of the monument to the gifted son of 
Georgia, the Hon. Benjamin H. Hill, I received a letter 
from Mr. Henry W. Grady — generous, noble Grady! — 
always on the alert to honor and give pleasure to an old 
Confederate, asking me to accompany the escort of vet- 
erans that were to meet Mr. Davis at Montgomery, Ala- 
bama. His letter read as follows (I accepted the invita- 
tion of veterans) : 

My Dear Sir : I inclose you a ticket to the platform next Saturday 
to witness the unveiling of the Hill statue. It is an appropriate com- 
pliment that you should be here to meet Mr. Davis, and it is my per- 
sonal request that you come. Mr. Davis vi^ill be glad to see you, the 
people will be glad to see you, and I will be glad to see you, for I have 
always admired you and loved you for your gallantry in the cause for 
which my father gave his life, more than you have ever suspected ! I 
shall look for you on that day. 

Yours very truly, 

Henry W. Grady. 

I gladly accepted these kind invitations, and it was the 
first time in many years that I had left the seclusion of 
my country home (I enjoyed every moment of the time) 
to take part in any public occasion. The glad exultations 
of the Southern people to greet the patriot who to them 
embodied the dear "Lost Cause," to say nothing of the 
magnetism of his own personality, was beautiful beyond 
words to express. I hope and believe the shouts of wel- 
come and words of love of that time and tour lived and 
re-echoed in his heart and memory until the unseen angels 
came to carry his great soul beyond the shores of time, 



29G RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

where loyalty and patriotism (though but human virtues) 
may count for their true value before the Judgment Seat 
of Him who made our human hearts, and who has prom- 
ised after death's long sleep that those who love and serve 
Him shall "awake and be satisfied!" 

I have been asked many times in my life how I bore the 
quiet of a farmer's life after such activity as I had always 
known, or how I existed without a sniff of salt air and sea 
breezes? Man is the creature of habit. My habit of life 
changed and gave place to new tastes and experiences. 
This being a history of my public life and services, I will 
not intrude upon my readers, friends and posterity much 
of the home and farming life, combining so much of "the 
joy and sorrow with which the stranger may not intermed- 
dle." While I made a support for my family, I never found 
anything remunerative in farming. I suppose I was too 
much of a sailor to farm well, except in enthusiasm. It 
has often been an amusement to myself to see how far 
away my thoughts sometimes were from my work. I 
was obliged once to let the family enjoy with me a joke 
upon myself. I was seated in my two-horse wagon and 
had a new darkey alongside of me driving, my thoughts 
of Spain and a famous fox hunt I once enjoyed there, 
when looking up I saw the boy was going in the wrong 
direction. Quick as lightning I called out, "Port your 
helm !" The darkey evidently thought my nautical lan- 
guage a majestic swear, and called out in a startled tone, 
"Sah?" I laughed in spite of myself — and he never un- 
derstood why — and I said quietly, "Drive to the right, 
boy," and we continued our journey. 

Among the happy summers of our life I recall the one 
of 187 — , when we had as next door neighbors the family 
of the lamented, gifted Lanier. His wife and mine had 
been loving friends from the cradle of Mrs. Lanier, my 
wife being her senior several years — their mothers loving 
friends before them. Mr. Lanier was just then going on 
to Baltimore to join the orchestra with his magic fiute. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 297 

Such music I believe the world will never hear again, when 
the very soul of the master seemed to breathe out in its 
heavenly cadences, and the rapt listeners scarcely realized 
their mortality, so strong were the spiritual affinities at 
work within them. The very air of home seemed blessed 
in the happy evenings in which he made music for us. 
One morning he walked into our little sitting-room, and 
with a wearied look on his face threw himself on the sofa 
and exclaimed, "Such a delightful walk as I have had 
in and out of the beautiful corn rows in the field next to 
us. I never saw such corn before. I luxuriated in the 
rustle of its leaves !" This walk was the inspiration of the 
poem, "Corn," among his finest — if one can discriminate 
among his soulful lyrics. Even the heathen said, "Whom 
the gods love, die young," and this true, pure, manly soul 
was early called to heavenly blessedness; but the world 
is better for his Hfe lived here, his music, and his songs. 

A correspondence (our only communication with the 
outside world) is a great pleasure in country life, and yet 
when letters come with such clippings as these, how stirred 
up I feel to give battle to the falsehoods that are supposed 
to make history. In a recent letter Armstrong writes me : 

In my last letter I referred to the enclosed and promised to send you 
a copy when I came across it. It so happened that an old classmate of 
mine, owner of the Steam Yacht Intrepid, came into port and behold! 
my old antagonist (and friend) J. Schuyler Crosby, a guest on board. 
This brought to mind the incident of my letter to the Nezv York Sun 
in reply to Colonel Crosby's speech, revealing this precious bit of his- 
tory, and a search among my papers brought it to light. Crosby was a 
colonel on Sheridan's staff after the war. 

"United States Consulate, 

"Florence, Italy, September 4th, 1879. 
"Hon. William Hunter, 

"Second Assistant Secretary of State, 

"Washington, D. C. 
"Sir: Within the last few days the following circumstances came 
to my knowledge, and I deem them of sufficient historical interest for the 
subject of this dispatch. An acquaintance of mine, Sir John Burgoyne, 



298 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

in the course of conversation told me that a few hours before the en- 
gagement between the Kearsarge and Alabama he took the lieutenant 
of the latter on board the Kearsarge. He was dining at the Crown 
Hotel, Dover, and his neighbor at table, who turned out to be an 
officer of the Kearsarge, invited him to visit her. The next day at 
dinner at the same hotel, another stranger, who got into conversation 
with Burgoyne, asked him what was the war vessel lying off Dover, if 
she was ironclad, what her armament was, and to what country she 
belonged? Sir John found him an agreeable and intelligent companion, 
and on his saying he was going aboard the Kearsarge acceded to his 
request to permit him to accomi)any him. On going aboard the next 
day the officer who had invited Burgoyne was not on board, but the 
officer of the deck, on seeing Burgoyne's card, invited him and his friend 
on board and showed them every part of the vessel, in which inspection 
the stranger showed a marked and intelligent interest. 

"When Sir John and his companion returned ashore his unknown 
acquaintance said, 'Thank you so much ; you little know what a service 
you have rendered me. Sir John, for I am the first lieutenant of the 
Alabama.' The subsequent meeting of these two vessels took place with 
the result all the world knows. 

"I have the honor to be, etc., 

[Signed] "H. E. Huntington, 

"Vice-Consul." 

Copy of dispatch to State Department, Washington, furnished me at 
St. Augustine, Fla., by Colonel J. Schuyler Crosby. 

R. F. Armstrong. 

"Oh, how this world is given to lying," and never since 
Ananias was so suddenly silenced was a more absurd lie 
given to history ! I never was at Dover in my life, I never 
made the acquaintance of a Sir John Burgoyne, and I never 
set foot on the deck of the Kearsarge! 

Armstrong's able and caustic pen saved me the trouble 
of refuting, and the Nezv York Sun soon published the fol- 



THE SECOND MATE OF THE ALABAMA REPLIES TO COLONEL CROSBY. 

To the Editor of the Sun. 

Sir: In your Washington correspondence of December 6th there 
appears an article headed "Lord Burgoyne's Remarkable Story Concern- 
ing the Alabama's Last Fight," in which Mr. J. Schuyler Crosby, 
recently appointed First Assistant Postmaster General, relates some very 
interesting incidents for the edification of the Loyal League. The only 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 299 

single fact in the whole story is that off Cherbourg on a certain day 
in June a fight did take place. The English yacht which rendered such 
efficient service in saving life on June 19th, 1864, was the Deerhound, 
whose owner was Mr. Lancaster — not Greyhound — and if Lord Bur- 
goyne was on board the Deerhound it is the first time that any one has 
ever heard of the fact. The Kearsarge did not come to an anchor be- 
fore the fight, and the only communication had with her from the shore 
was by the United States Consul in carrying to Captain Winslow the 
challenge of the Alabama. The only other craft, besides the Kear- 
sarge, which shared the honors of saving life on that occasion was a 
French pilot-boat, and the writer asserts most positively that Lord Bur- 
goyne was not on board of her. Our first lieutenant, Kell, was saved by 
the Deerhound, and I think I can trust my memory so far as to state 
that Lieutenant Kell did not leave the side of the Alabama from the 
day she entered Cherbourg until she steamed out of the port — in fact, 
was not on shore at all — and therefore could not have met "Lord Bur- 
goyne" at a hotel, or elsewhere. 

But, Mr. Editor, the necessity given for such a visit is the unkindest 
cut of all, and the reflection cast upon the officers of the Alabama — of 
not being able to locate the boilers of the steamship without a personal 
inspection — is such a slander upon our Alma Mater, the United States 
Naval Academy, that I feel called upon to resent it. But where is the 
use of further proving the romance of Lord Burgoyne's remarkable 
statements? But, then, Colonel Crosby has had but little experience of 
the sea, and of those who navigate thereon, and it is but charitable to 
presume that this "slip-over" effort of the gallant colonel was in the 
nature of one of those yarns we always tell to the "horse marines." 
[Signed] The Second Lieutenant of the "Alabama." 

St. Augustine, Fla., December 26th. 

Armstrong in his youth found home and happiness in 
another country; he never Hved in reconstruction times, 
and I am afraid I shall have to give him thrice the fifteen 
years of additional age the admiral allowed me in which 
to become conservative. I am in receipt of an amusing 
article of his, as yet unpublished — 

the "'Alabama's" crockeryware and flights of fancy in connection 

therewith. 
Editor Art Interchange. 

In your September number appears an article entitled "Ceramic Rel- 
ics of the Confederate States of America." One would judge from 
viewing the cut of the only article which properly can be classed under 



300 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

so pretentious a title, the hospital and ante-bellum hospitable jug, that 
these people could hardly claim distinction in ceramic art. Perhaps in 
their semi-barbarous and uneesthetic condition they laid more store by 
their military prowess than their manufacture of pottery. Ars est celare 
artem, and in the little brown jug the maxim is fully accomplished — in 
fact, in simplicity of design and finish this example of fine art makes 
towards pure asstheticism, and distinctly makes an evolutionary period 
in the history of a hitherto rude and uncultured people. 

Mr. Edwin At Lee Barber, who, from his praecognomen, I should judge 
to be of the Flowery Kingdom, and consequently an expert in pottery 
affairs, shows a commendable spirit in delving into the hitherto unex- 
plored field of Dixie, and it is to be regretted that his search for objects 
d'art et virtu of the Confederate period has been so barren of results. 
In fact, his search for these ceramic art treasures has apparently been 
so disappointing as to force him to draw upon the crockery establish- 
ment of Messrs. Badley & Co., of Staffordshire, and bring into the 
service of his article the crockeryware supplied by that house for the 
alimentary comfort of the officers and crew of the Alabama. Mirabile 
dictu! the plates, cups and saucers, and perhaps other pottery vessels, 
have been invested with miraculous flotative power, and with the factor 
of avoirdupois eliminated, like the wonderful borrowed axe of Elisha, 
have been made to rise from full fathom five to supply relics of "the 
famous sea-rover." I have heard of this putative Alabama crockery- 
ware before, and in point of fact have in my possession a rather hefty 
specimen of it, no doubt obtained from the same source as those in the 
treasured keeping of the "daughter of the Confederate officer in Geor- 
gia" and the "lady in Florida." Hitherto I have attached but little 
value to my soup-plate, and as a specimen of fine art it is considered 
hardly up to some of the productions of Sevres or even those of Mr. 
At Lee's own country ; but now the case is entirely different, and in so 
well authenticated a relic "recovered from the vessel after she had been 
sunk" and ipso facto necessarily invested with miraculous power, I con- 
sider that I have a treasure which it is my duty to transmit as a valued 
heirloom ! 

Several years ago in St. Augustine, I was asked by the Rev. Dr. 
Prime, of Holy Land memory, to authenticate one of these plates 
as a genuine relic of the Alabama. I asked the reverend gentleman if 
he had ever read of the little affaire d deux off Cherbourg? He replied 
that he had. "Then, Doctor, would you not think that at that time we 
were otherwise engaged than in saving crockery?" I must confess that 
the miracle theory had not occurred to me at that time, and I have 
probably prevented this particular plate from appearing in the lists of 
the genuine relics no doubt obtained by the gentleman in Palestine and 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 301 

other Eastern countries. Perhaps there is no more cause to doubt that 
the crockery ware of the Alabama bobbed up serenely from the bottom 
of the English Channel, and ergo, that the "plate, cup and saucer, said 
to have been recovered from the vessel after she had been sunk" are as 
genuine as half the Christian relics that we swear by, and far better 
authenticated ! As time passes we shall, no doubt, hear more of these 
Alabama relics, so for the nonce I shall assume the role of "the bull in 
the china shop" and put a quietus upon the crockery part. Therefore, 
relic hunters, give ear to my story and attention to my relation. 

The contract with Messrs. Laird Bros, was for a ship of certain 
dimensions and power, furnished complete with everything for the 
voyage. This, of course, included crockeryware, and accordingly four 
sets of this ware (with designs as shown in the illustrations) were put 
on board of the ship before she left Birkenhead. The designs in all 
were the same, only the colors were different — that for the captain being 
gold ; for the wardroom, blue ; for the steerage, green, and for the crew, 
brown. This latter set had short shift on board, and as its disap- 
pearance from the present investigation of Confederate ceramic art 
treasures constitutes the first crockery smash-up of a series. I will 
adorn my tale and perhaps point a moral by relating the circumstances. 
In those days— 1862 — of square-rigged ships and sail power it was 
essential that the crew of a man-o'-war should be sailors — it is not so 
necessary now, when artisans, mechanics and soldiers compose the per- 
sonnel of a modern fighting machine, and the old-time shell-back has 
been educated out of existence — and the crew, according to immemorial 
custom, was divided into convenient messes, each in charge of one of 
its numbers, designated mess cook. The deck served for a table, a tar- 
paulin for a cloth, and the table furniture consisted of tinware — in not 
too excessive quantity. Each sailor was entitled to a pot, pan and spoon, 
and these, with his sheath-knife, comprised his whole mess outfit. The 
swinging-table and crockeryware abominations are of later introduction 
into the Navy, and it remains to be seen if such enervating luxuries have 
improved the morale of man-o'-war Jack. 

Well, the Alabama's crew started on a crockeryware basis, and these 
emblematic plates, cups and saucers were a source of constant trouble. 
Shortly after going into commission, and while we were gradually but 
surely bringing our Liverpool packet material up to the standard of 
man-o'-war discipline, the complaints against these mess cooks were 
loud and frequent. This one did not wash the plates, that one failed 
to polish the cups, and they were altogether a bad lot ! Finally, the 
patience of our executive officer, being wholly exhausted, and perhaps 
thinking it about time to give the disciplinary screw another turn, he 
ordered the whole of the men's crockery to be brought up from below. 
Jack was jubilant at the prospect of punishment being meted out to the 



302 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

delinquent cooks, but his joy was short lived, for as soon as the master- 
at-arms reported "all up, sir," overboard wrent about half a ton of Con- 
federate States ceramic art, and perhaps it is now under the aesthetic 
arrangement of sea naiads' hands embellishing the abysmal caverns of 
sunken Atlantis. Jack's service thereafter was of bright tinware, and as 
this was what he had been accustomed to, he soon forgot his prized 
crockeryware and borrowed no further trouble about his mess arrange- 
ments. 

There is a moral in this plain tale of the sea, but I shall leave it to 
the perspicacity of the reader to pick it out. I remember on one occa- 
sion chasing a vessel throughout the midwatch and turning the chase 
over to my successor of the deck. About daylight the chase, having been 
brought to and proving ripe for destruction, i. e., of the proper nation- 
ality, with no neutral cargo aboard, she was accordingly despoiled and 
fired. The captain and mate of the prize were assigned as guests of the 
midshipmen's mess. At breakfast, when coffee was served, the captain, 
examining the cup with far too critical an eye for a guest, blurted out, 
"Wall, look-y-here, Mate, I'll be goldarned if this here ain't one of our 
own cups and sassers." And no doubt the captain was right, for in 
those halcyon days such was the easy transfer of property on the high 
seas, that it was quite possible for this captain to have sipped his tea 
from his own cup on his own ship in the evening, and taken his coffee 
from the same cup on board "the pirate" at eight bells on the following 
morning. 

It would appear from this anecdote that wear, tear and breakage had 
so diminished the midshipmen's stock of "this famous crockery" as to 
render it necessary for them to "draw upon the enemy for a further 
supply." Having thus disposed of the brown and the green, an indignant 
posterity must hold the Kearsarge responsible for having played the 
devil with the rest of it ! 



Chapter XXII 

One day in the summer of 1886, coming in tired from 
my work, my wife, at her sewing on the porch "behind 
the morning glory vines" that shut out the world, called 
out to me, "Here's a letter for you from the Constitution 
office," but none can imagine my surprise at its contents ! 
It seems that my friends had been thinking of me, and 
resolved to do something for me. The kindly thought 
originated in the mind of Col. L. N. Whittle, but it only 
needed to be suggested to others. Judge Richard H. 
Clark, Col. L. Q. C. Lamar, Hon. David J. Bailey, Sr., 
his sons, and my friend Frank Flint and my kind neigh- 
bors at Sunnyside, and Griffin, the county seat of Spalding, 
where I came to abide, and where my children were born, 
all lent a helping hand. Colonel Whittle wrote my wife 
and said : "Your husband must have position under the 
incoming administration. General Gordon will be Gov- 
ernor. Captain Kell, I know, will solicit nothing, but his 
friends will do it for him." Fearing some disappointment 
to me, knowing I had never taken part or interest in poli- 
tics, my home circle kept very quiet and waited events. 
The suggestion reached the ears of Mr. Grady in connec- 
tion with the place of Commissioner of Agriculture, and 
his letter to me read as follows : 

Atlanta, Ga., July 27th, 1886. 
My Dear Captain : I write you at the suggestion of my partner, 
Evan P. Howell. He and I were talking things over to-day and I sug- 
gested that you had been mentioned as a possible candidate for Com- 
missioner of Agriculture, and that you ought to have something from 
the State. There are certain difficulties in the way of that office, but Evan 
then suggested that you apply to General Gordon for the position of 
Adjutant-General. I think the place pays about $2000 and is a good 



304 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL XIFE 

place. It is in the Capital, near the governor, and is a place of dignity 
and such work as would come to your inclination. In making such 
application you will have the earnest support of both Mr. Howell and 
myself and Mr. Hemphill, and indeed all of the Constitution. This I 
am sure will give you the place. Your application would be kept quiet, 
and if anything should go wrong would never be known. I am sure, 
however, it will be right. 

Yours with high regard, 

H. W. Grady. 
In August he wrote me again : 

My Dear Captain Kell: I feel sure that the matter I wrote you 
about will be settled satisfactorily. I have spoken to General Gordon, 
and his views coincide with mine entirely, and there is no reasonable 
doubt that the appointment will be made. In giving you this news, I 
congratulate the State and General Gordon very much more than your- 
self. It is but small returns for the great debt that Georgia owes you; 
but I am grateful at being the humble instrument by which even so 
small a part of the obligation may be rendered. It will be well to say 
nothing at present. With high regard. 

Yours very truly, 

H. W. Grady. 

To this I replied: 

SuNNYSiDE, Spalding Co., Ga., August 22d, 1886. 
H. W. Grady, Esq., Atlanta, Ga. 

My Dear Sir: Yours of the 20th is received. Need I assure you 
of my sincere thanks for your interest and service in my behalf. I am 
pleased that General Gordon has been so kind as to consider my claim 
with the same generous feeling that prompted you. The complimentary 
manner in which you have been pleased to convey to me this news is 
appreciated with that warmth of feeling which can be experienced only 
by one who has served his country and tried to do his duty. Per- 
mit me again to assure you of my gratitude, and with sincere regard 
remain, 

Yours very truly 

Jno. McIntosh Kell. 

The Atlanta correspondent of the Macon Telegraph gives 
the following information of a movement in this line : 

The News (Griffin) has long advocated giving some appropriate 
recognition by the State of the past distinguished services of one of the 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 305 

most noted citizens in its borders. As modest as he is brave, Captain 
Kell has refused to seek any office, and it is all the more reason one 
should be given him, and we heartily endorse the present move of our 
distinguished Representative, Hon. D. J. Bailey, toward such an end. 

Again the Nnvs says: 

There is a movement on foot in connection with this office which will 
meet with warm endorsement throughout the State. The movement 
is to urge Governor Gordon to tender the appointment of Adjutant- 
General to Captain John Mcintosh Kell, of Sunnyside. I do not know 
that he is in any way an aspirant for this office, but there is a strong 
feeling among his friends that he should get it. The head and front 
of the movement is Hon. David J. Bailey, the Representative from 
Spalding, the "grand old Roman" of the House. 

He prepared the petition to-day, asking Governor Gordon to make 
this appointment. It was one petition that all seemed to sign with sin- 
cere pleasure. Such appointment will give a higher honor to the office 
and be a happy tribute to a gallant gentleman. 

In November I received this letter from Governor 
Gordon : 

State of Georgia^ Executive Department, 

Atlanta, November i6th, 1886. 
Capt. J. McIntosh Kell: 

My Dear Sir: Your friends throughout the State have urged your 
appointment to the position of Adjutant-General. The office is not at 
this time vacant, but the present able and efficient incumbent. Colonel 
John A. Stephens, informs me that failing eyesight will make it neces- 
sary for him to surrender his post at the end of the present year. It 
affords me great pleasure to tender that position to you, and to express 
the hope that it may suit your views to enter upon the discharge of its 
duties on the ist of January next. I would be pleased to receive notice 
of your acceptance at an early day. 

Very truly yours, 

J. B. Gordon. 
To this I repHed: 

Sunnyside, Ga., November 17th, 1886. 
To His Excellency J. B. Gordon, 
Atlanta, Ga. 
My Dear Sir: Your esteemed favor of yesterday is received. I 
am extremely gratified for the compliment paid me by my friends 

30 



306 RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 

throughout the State in requesting of you the appointment of Adjutant- 
General in my behalf. I regret sincerely the affliction "of the present 
able and efficient incumbent," Colonel John A. Stephens, and in accept- 
ing the appointment to fill the position he will be necessitated to sur- 
render at the end of the present year, I can assure you that my earnest 
desire will be to sustain and advance the interest of the military under 
your command, and all other duties pertaining to the office. Thanking 
you for your kindness in so pleasantly tendering me this office, I am, 
with high regard, 

Very truly yours, 

Jno. McIntosh Kell. 

The outcome of these letters and the deep and abiding 
interest of my friends has brought about the congenial 
work of the later years of my life. I trust I have not dis- 
appointed them in the fulfilment of my duty in the high 
position they tendered me, for their approbation and 
kindly feeling is very dear to my heart. Among my 
greatest treasures are the many kind and loving letters of 
congratulation received upon my appointment to office. 
The first to reach me was the following : 

U. S. Post Office, 

Macon, Ga., November 19th, 1886. 
Capt. J. McIntosh Kell. 

Dear Sir : You will pardon an humble individual like myself for ex- 
pressing his great gratification at your appointment to the position of 
Adjutant-General of Georgia. 

I care not how many worthy and graceful acts Governor Gordon may 
do, he can perform no one that will strike the heart of all Georgians 
with more real joy than the one of your appointment. Accept the con- 
gratulations of one who professes to be your friend and admirer. 

Thomas Hardeman. 

Augusta, Ga., November igth, 1886. 
My Dear Captain : Permit me to congratulate you and the Com- 
monwealth upon your selection for, and acceptance of, the office of 
Adjutant-General of the State of Georgia. 

Very truly yours, 

Charles C. Jones, Jr. 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A NAVAL LIFE 307 

There is little more for me to tell in these annals of my 
life. Since this appointment, for more than eight years 
past, through the love and respect of my fellow Georgians 
and the courtesy of succeeding Chief Executives, I still 
hold my honorable position. I have reached three-score 
years and ten (the allotted life of man). My Hfe has been 
long, happy and eventful. Of course it has been check- 
ered with the griefs and sorrows that fall to the lot of all, 
but nearing the sunset of my days, beyond which are the 
"hills of light," I can look backward into the past of holy 
memories without regret, and hopefully into the future, 
my lifeboat gliding on, no anchor dragging, Christ's love 
at helm, and God aloft! 



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